WITH the old guards and the country’s rising stars around, the 2nd Governor Henry S. Oaminal Open Chess Tournament ― which opens this afternoon at the AYA and Residences Hotel in Clarin, Misamis Occidental ― is surely one of the strongest chess events to ever unfold in Mindanao.

And giving his approval, the 13-time Philippine Open champion Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr seemed not confident enough to invest in winning, but rather to prepare himself for this year's World Senior Chess Championship.

“Napakalakas ng field for my age at 62 and the time control is fast at 15 minutes with three seconds increment since this is a rapid chess competition,” Antonio told Gold Star Daily.

CASH-RICH TOURNEY. A thundering applause fills the air after Governor Henry S. Oaminal announces to double the cash prizes of the Ozamis Open Chess Tournament at the AYA and Residences Hotel. Photo by Lynde Salgados

Antonio added: “Halatang pabor ang rapid sa mga bata pero hanggang nakakatulak pa ng piyesa, hindi tayo susuko o magre-retiro.”

Tournament organizer Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo may not pick Antonio among the players who stand a good chance of hunting the P50,000 top purse. However, he agreed the hard grind is favorable for his keenly-awaited campaign abroad.

A runner-up behind Granda Zuniga in Italy in 2017, the ageless Antonio will vie anew for the World Seniors title this coming November in Portugal.

OPENING. Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr conducts simultaneous display along with fellow chess masters before the start of the Ozamiz Open tourney on Tuesday at the AYA and Residences Hotel in Clarin. Photo by Lynde Salgados

The thrill and excitement in the two-day chessfest heightened when Gov. Oaminal announced in the opening ceremony his intention to double the cash prizes from P355,000 to P710,000.

Instead of getting the lion’s share of P50,000, the lucky champion is bound to receive P100,000 and so are the rest of the cash prize winners in all categories.

Defending champion International Master Joel Pimentel is nowhere in sight as of this writing (1 pm Tuesday), but in his possible absence is a star-studded cast of future Grandmasters, including the youthful reigning national champion IM Daniel Quizon.

Veteran GM Darwin Laylo is also in the house, joining Asia’s first Grandmaster and Hall of Famer Eugene Torre in gracing the ceremonial rites alongside the who's who in Philippine chess such as IMs Michael Concio, Ronald Bancod, Eric Labog, and Fide Masters Alekhine Nouri, Vince Alaan and Roel Abelgas, among others.

The FIDE-rated rapid chess tourney serves as a major sports highlight of the 76th Ozamiz City Charter Anniversary and the Feast of Nuestra Sra. dela Concepcion y del Triunfo de Migpang.