AT LEAST 56 professionals have already signed up to compete in the 10th Negrense Professionals (Degree Holders) Individual Chess Tournament which reels off this Saturday, Nov. 14, 1:30 p.m.

The event will take place at the Lobby of Top’s Millennium Plaza bowling Lanes, corner 10th/Hilado Sts., Capitol Shopping Center, Bacolod City, according to tournament director and chief arbiter Dodz Felisilda.

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Leading the pack of early registrants in this annual event organized and officiated by the Game Royale Aficionados of Negros, Inc. are National Master and former champion Alfred Acaling Jr., National Master Alan Severino, former champion and Candidate Master Ted Ian Montoyo, Candidate Master Nunilon Fulo III, and Candidate Master Francis Glen Panes.

Also among the early birds are Dr. Alfonso Teorima, Dr. Allan Tenerife, Dr. Ric Deloso, Dr. Jose Alabado, Aarchitrect Chito Barrios, Engr. Nathaniel Viaje, Engr. Alfredo Poja, Engr. Adolfo Tan, Engr. Felix Gonzales, Engr. Joselito Tupas, Engr. Dennis Mahimum, Engr. Joel Jabaybay, Engr. John Manual, Prof. Dwight Perez, and Prof. Edilberto Uy, among others.

Felisilda said he will stay until 8 p.m. at the tournament venue on Thursday, November 12, to accommodate late registrants.

Prizes awaiting the top finishers of the event are: for the Champion P3,000 gift certificate plus 42-inch, four-legged “King” trophy courtesy of former USLS Board 2 varsitarian Vladimir “Vladi” Gonzales; for the 1st Runner-up P2,000 plus 36-inch, four-legged “Queen” trophy courtesy of Ricardo “Cano” Tan, sponsor of the long-running Ryan Rupert F. Tan Memorial Kiddies Chess Tournament which produced the likes of NM Rolando Andador and Sander Severino and Fide Master Hamed Nouri; for the 2nd Runner-up P1,500 gift certificate plus 30-inch, four-legged “Rook” trophy courtesy of Sun-Gem Pharma; for the 3rd Runner-up P1,200 gift certificate plus 27-inch, four-legged “Bishop” trophy courtesy of Sealand Industrial Supply through Mai Grace Galve, sales specialist; and for the 4th Runner-up P1,000 gift certificate plus 24-inch, four-legged “Knight” trophy courtesy of Rufo G. Gasapo, president of Bacolod Adventist Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the 6th to 15th place finishers will each receive Globe SIM plus P100 load and T-shirt courtesy of Ma. Sharon Villar Ciocon, Globe Telecom SM Center head.

For further information interested participants may contact the following: tournament chairman Dr. Alfonso Teorima through tel. no. 432-3674 or mobile no. 0920-9041953; registration committee head Gilbert Villanueva through mkobile no. 0926-4790537; and tournament director/chief arbiter Dodz Felisilda through tel. no. 707-0421 or mobile nos. 0917-6078373 and 0919-6581254. (HCV)