Chess clinic opens with 700 participants

LINGAYEN -- About 700 young Pangasinense chess enthusiasts registered in the 2nd Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. chess clinic, which commenced Saturday morning at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center here.

Provincial Sports Consultant Modesto Operaña said they are overwhelmed with the turnout as they were expecting around 400 to 500 participants.

Special guest during the opening of the chess clinic was 24-year-old chess grand master Oliver Barbosa, a native of Taytay, Rizal but whose wife is from Barangay Mermer, Manaoag town.

Barbosa is one of the newest chess grand masters in the Philippines. He and Richard Bitoon of Cebu (the 16th grand master) earned their title during the Raja Nasrin Shah Invitational Open 2011 (Malaysia) held last September 4-12.

The 2nd Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. Chess Clinic is the opening event of the Pangasinan Chess Festival. The next schedule of clinics are on September 24, 25, October 1 and 2.

Operaña said the clinic is part of the sports development program of the Provincial Government to develop the youth’s potential in mind games.

The participants were clustered in to three categories: beginner, intermediate and advance chess players who will be mentored by International Master Ricardo Cardozo.

They were also grouped into six age sections -- Under 20, Under 18, Under 16, Under 14, Under 12, Under 10 and Under 8.

Governor Amado Espino Jr. said last year that with the Pangasinan Chess Festival, they hope to produce in the future Pangasinense the next chess international masters and grand masters.

Pangasinan has one international master in the person of Rodolfo Cardoso of Alaminos City who was also the first Asian international master.

The first Asian grandmaster, on the other hand, is GM Eugene Torre, also a Filipino. (LCMY/Sunnex)