Shell chess elims winds up in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines - The search for future chess stars resumes in Cebu on Sept. 10-11 as the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship winds up its five-leg regional eliminations at SM Cebu-Activity Center for the Visayas leg.

Another banner field is expected to vie for top honors in various divisions of the event where the top two finishers in the boys’ juniors (20-and-under) and kiddies (14-and-under) boys’ division gaining berths in the national finals.

However, only the winners in the kiddies and juniors in the girls’ class will advance to the grand finals slated Oct. 8-9 at SM Megamall.

For details, call up tournament director Alex Dinoy (0922-8288510 or 02-400-3248) or leg coordinator Odilon Badilles (0906-555-6073) (Cebu).

Registration forms are available at the Pilipinas Shell website www.shell.com.ph/shell_chess, and at selected schools, chess clubs and municipal/provincial government offices. Fee is pegged at P100 with the field limited to 300 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

 The Shell active chess circuit has drawn full-packed rosters in all divisions in Cebu in each staging, the city being one of the spawning grounds of chess talents in the country.

 The event features the leading players and rising stars in the juniors and kiddies ranks, including students and out-of-school youths. In the 19 years of the competition, Shell Active Chess has produced world-class players, such as GMs Wesley So, Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo and top Cebu IM Richard Bitoon.

 The annual event, the country’s longest running, grassroots-based chess tournament is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Phils. and backed by Shell V-Power, Shellane and Shell Helix in partnership with SM Supermalls and Rudy Project.