Mike Arroyo, panauhin sa 2001 Asian Zone Chessfest

Inimbitahan si First Gentleman Jose ‘Miguel’ Arroyo na maging panauhing pandangal sa opening ceremonies ng 2001 Asian Zone 3.2a Chess Championships na gaganapin sa Laguna Ballroom ng Grand Boulevard Hotel simula ngayong ala-una ng hapon.

" His (Arroyo) presence in the opening will boost the morale of our local players who will be seeing action and his support for the Philippine chess would also be appreciated by the millions of enthusiasts all over the country," wika ni National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Eugene Torre kamakalawa.

Ang iba pang inanyayahan sa opening rites ay sina Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Carlos Tuason, Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, Pascual Laboratories president Manuel Salazar, Social Security System Executive Vice President Horace Templo, Philippine Chess Society president Reynato Sarmiento, PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino at Atty. Teodorico Delfin.

Inaasahang ang regional tournament na may nakatayang dalawang slots para sa lalaki at nag-iisang slot naman sa babae para sa nalalapit na World Chess Championship ay lalahukan ng hindi bababa sa 42 woodpushers.

Ang Vietnamese Woman Grandmaster at International Master Hoang Thanh Trang (Elo 2489), ang kauna-unahang dayuhan na dumating sa bansa noong pang Sabado ng gabi. Ang 20-anyos na lady chesser ay kasama ng kanyang ama at coach na si Hoang Minh Chong ang siyang top seed sa women’s zonals.

Dumating naman noong Linggo ng gabi sina Indonesian Grandmaster Utut Adianto (2589) at Edhi Handoko, habang dumating naman noong Lunes ang mga delegasyon mula sa Brunei Hongkong, Malaysia, Vietnam at Mongolia.

Babandera sa kampanya ng 12-man Philippine squad sina GM Torre, GM Joey Antonio, GM Bong Villamayor, NM Jayson Gonzales at NM Allan Sayson na pawang nag-qualified sa FIDE competition na kamakailang ginanap na national open. Magpapakita rin ng aksiyon sina IM Chito Garma at FM Fernie Donguines matapos na mapasama sa dalawang unang upuan para sa extra players sa pamamagitan ng 9-Round Swiss elims na ginanap noong Sabado at Linggo.

Kakampanya naman sina Woman International Master Beverly Mendoza, national woman champion Joann Toledo at Palawan’s Rosela Joya sa distaff side.