Philippine Amateur Chess Championships slated this weekend

MANILA, Philippines – The search for a new Filipino Grandmaster is on as the National Chess Federation of the Philippines stages the Philippine Amateur Chess Championships unfurling Friday until Sunday at the Robinsons Mall Metro East in Pasig City.

Just less than a month after Daniel Quizon emerged as the country’s 17th GM, the NCFP is hoping it could produce more in the future through many tournaments including this one that was made possible by National Master Srihaan Poddar, who helped raise the total cash pot worth P110,000.

Open to all Filipino chessers with a FIDE rating of 2000 and below, the meet, backed by NCFP chief Butch Pichay, offers P25,000 to the champion and P20,000 and P15,000 to the second and third placers, respectively, with several category prizes to be given away apart from free shirts to given to all participants.

NCFP chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales thanked Poddar, a three-time national age-group champion and a veteran internationalist, for making this tournament possible.

“He is a big help in promoting chess by raising funds and organizing tournaments. That is also apart from his noble work in rehabilitating prisoners through chess,” said Gonzales of Poddar.