By Jaime Joshua Frias II
Contributor
PHILIPPINE Air Force dependable Lennon Hart Salgados eyes a back-to-back title run in the pre-Christmas chess tourneys in Cagayan de Oro with the second one out to gracefully end the season with bigger cash prizes at stake.
The 31-year-old Salgados, a former Palarong Pambansa champion and a cornerstone of the Far Eastern University’s historic streak in UAAP chess, won the Golden Chess Friends’ Individual Rapid Open and its P10,000 top purse on December 8 at Bulua City Mall.
He’ll be back again at the same venue, City Mall, near the Westbound Terminal and Public Market of Barangay Bulua to vie in the 1st Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy Christmas Chess Tournament on December 14-15.
It’s going to be a tougher event with who’s who in Mindanao expected to be around to try their luck plus the arrival of Kagay-anon International Master Rustum Tolentino from Dubai.
“Medyo ni improve ang cash prizes so, we expect the top guns from Davao to be competing here this weekend. I heard IM Tolentino will be playing also along with the locals such as Johnnel Balquin, Rodney Opada, Alji Cantonjos, and Bryan Jose. Bibo ni, exciting, interesting, and more challenging,” Salgados told Gold Star Daily.
The top three finishers in the Rapid Open are out to receive P15,000, P10,000, and P7,000 each. While the top-eight performers in the three-board Team Tatluhan will pocket P35,000, P25,000, P12,000, P10,000, P8,000, P6,000 and P4,000, respectively.
In the junior categories, the top three high school winners will be given P4,000, P2,000, and P1,000 each; while the top three elementary finishers will get P3,000, P2,000, and P1,000 apiece.
There will be also monetary awards for the top seniors and top ladies in the two-day chessfest also supported by Barangay Carmen chairman Raineir Joaquin ‘Kikang’ Uy.
