Asian cities chess team event begins tomorrow

The Asian Cities Chess Team Championship for the Dubai Cup reels off 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City with 19 teams seeing action.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain, Tagaytay City Mayor Francis Tolentino, World Chess Federation honorary president Florencio Campomanes and National Chess Federation board members headed by NCFP chairman Andres Gatmaitan and president Mat Defensor are among the guests at the opening ceremonies.

Project director Casto Abundo said the Philippines will be represented by four teams —Tagaytay, Pasay, Mandaluyong and Tanauan — in this nine-round Swiss system event.

The international tournament is organized by the NCFP and Tagaytay in cooperation with the Dept. of Tourism, Dept. of Interior and Local Government, League of Cities of the Philippines, PSC, City of Manila, Manila Sports Council, Philippine Olympic Committee and System Technology Institute.

GMs Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor and IMs Ronald Dableo and Jayson Gonzales compose the Tagaytay City team captained by Cris Mangulabnan.

The Mandaluyong team is composed of IMs Mark Paragua, Nelson Mariano, Idelfonso Datu and Richard Bitoon and NM Rolly Martinez with captain Yves Ranola.

The Pasay City team is made of IM Barlo Nadera, NM Emmanuel Senador, Jerome Balico, Rodolfo Panopio and Oliver Dimakiling with captain Louie Polistico.

The Tanauan team is composed of IM Fernie Donguines, NM Teodulfo Nones, Efren Arguelles, Jennifer Mayor and Gabriel Layesa with captain Chito Lai.

Most of the teams are to arrive today. Defending champion is the Pavlodar City team of Kazakhstan but strong challenge is expected from Guangzhou (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia).

The other competing teams are Sydney (Australia), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Hong Kong, Kanchipuram, (India), Samarinda (Indonesia), Teheran (Iran), Doha (Qatar), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Macau, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Sana’a (Yemen).