Friday, March 30, 2007 'Dimaks' leads cast in tough Iligan Open
OLIVER Dimakiling, one of the country's hottest International Masters from Davao City, leads a strong cast of players vying for around P350,000 in total cash prizes of the 2007 Iligan Open chess tournament which gets underway Friday at the Chung Hua School in Iligan City.
The 25-year-old Dimakiling, who scored heavily for the RP men's team in the last World Chess Olympiad in Spain, is expected to be seeded No.1 in this five-day event.
"Unlike late last year nga rigid akong dula sa gawas, medyo naka-bakasyon `ta gamay. I just hope that it will bring positive effect sa akong chess," said Dimakiling who arrived yesterday in Cagayan de Oro from his grandma's hometown of Bohol.
Along with youthful friends from CDO--Lennon Hart Salgados, 13 and Antonio Chavez Jr., 16, the three of them will proceed immediately to Iligan before this morning's opening round matches.
"Silang Richard (IM Bitoon) sa Cebu midiretso na sa Iligan. Wesley So would like to play but circumstances prevented him from joining the field," added Dimakiling referring to the 13-year-old Grandmaster Candidate from Bacoor, Cavite.
Johnnel Balquin, CDO's top act in the 64-square-board game, is among the darkhorse bets in the Iligan Open which has a guaranteed P75,000 top purse going to the champion.
"Apiki sa kuwarta pero preparado kaayo akong tira karon. Kahit sino," Balquin told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (LLS)
