4th Kidapawan Open set February 10-12

Sunday, January 29, 2012

THE big guns of Mindanao chess and some of the country's top players engage each other in another battle for supremacy when the 4th Kidapawan Open Chess Championship fires off at the Kidapawan City Convention Center in Kidapawan City from February 10 to 12.

The three-day tournament, one of the highlights of the 14th founding anniversary of Kidapawan City, is being organized by the City Government of Kidapawan, Kidapawan Chess Club Inc. and Batch 85-Notre Dame of Kidapawan Boys and Girls HS Alumni Association Inc.

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The Kidapawan Open was first held in 2009 and will be in its fourth staging this year, attracting players not only from Mindanao but also from Luzon and Visayas.

This time, organizers have instituted innovative changes in the tournament format to make it more challenging and exciting. There will be two stages consisting of a seven-round Swiss system eliminations and the championship round.

In the first phase of the elimination, competitors will play seven rounds, with the top 16 placers in the final standing advancing to the knock-out final stage. The ranking after the seventh round will be the actual seeding in the championship round.

The tournament is open to all Filipino players of all ages, rated or non-rated, male or female, residing anywhere in the Philippines. The event will register a total of 100 players on a first come-first serve basis.

A registration fee of P300 will be required from each player. However, players residing in Kidapawan City will pay P200 only. Junior and kiddie players will be charged of only P100, while a bond of P100 will be required from all players, which will be returned to him/her after the tournament, unless it is forfeited in favor of the organizer if the player defaults in one of his/her games.

The champion will pocket P15,000 and a trophy while the second and third placers will earn P10,000 and P5,000 plus trophies, respectively.

Chief arbiter for the tournament is Sammy Yu of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP). He will be assisted by Alfred Moulic, Natalia T. Olay, Ronald Olay and Emmanuel Ibea. (CRAM)