THE RECENTLY-concluded 2009 Cebu Sinulog Chess Open Team tournament brought back the old guards of the local game.

Cebu Executive and Professional Chess Association (Cepca) membership committee chairman Frank “Boy” Pestaño told Sun.Star Cebu that he saw the enthusiasm of almost inactive chess players to once again play the game.

“I had to say that this tournament revived chess in Cebu. Almost all the top players joined the tournament. The old guards were back and I saw a lot of excellent players that I never knew playing in the tournament,” Pestaño said.

The Sinulog Chess Open was organized by Cepca with the help of the Cebu City government through the support of Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, chairman of the committee on sports, games and entertainment.

Pestaño said four generations of chess players gathered at the SM City-Cebu Mall to compete.

“As you can see there were players from the 70s, from the 80s, the 90s and 2000s converging under one roof to play in a tournament. There was also James Andrei Balbona, an eight-year old player who was listed to compete,” Pestaño added.

James Andrei was part of the Balbona Kids, one of the three very young squads fielded in the tournament.

Pestaño said that with the energetic support of the city government and the active participation of players, chess will spread even further in Cebu. (RCM)

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(January 14, 2009 issue)
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