Thursday, July 05, 2007 Cash-rich 4th Cantilan Open set on Aug. 12-15 By Lynde Salgados
CONTRARY to some wild insinuations, former congressman Prospero "Butch" Pichay's failed campaign to bag a seat in the Senate House may seem not affect his country-wide chess development program.
In fact, Pichay--who chairs the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP)--announced the holding of the 4th Prospero Pichay, Sr. Memorial Open Chess Tournament on August 12-15 in his far away native home of Cantilan, Surigao del Norte.
"The staging of this annual event is a solid proof that Butch Pichay's love of the royal game has no political color. Philippine chess will continue to thrive under Pichay's leadership with or without the senate slot," said Pichay's confidant, National Master Cesar Caturla.
In honor to Pichay's late father, the Memorial Cup gathered the country's top players last year wherein the underated veteran campaigner from Pagadian City in National Master Ernesto Fernandez won the P100,000 top purse.
Top Grandmasters, International Masters, Fide Masters, National Masters and the rest of RP's finest woodpushers are invited to join in this FIDE rated nine-round Swiss system tournament, which offers P100,000 to the champion, P40,000 to second placer and P20,000 to third placer.
Fourth to sixth placers will receive P10,000, P6,000 and P5,000, respectively. Seventh to 10th placers will be given P4,000 each.
For inquiries, please contact NM Caturla at his cell number (0928) 713-2397 for complete details.
