Saturday, November 10, 2007 CDO-Misor chess tourney unfolds
AROUND 30 teams are expected to see action Saturday as the 1st Cagayan de Oro Misamis Oriental 2007 Chess Team Championship formally opens 9 a.m. at De Luxe Hotel.
It's a seven-round Swiss system event with the standard time control of 75 minutes allotted for each player to finish the game.
"My mission and vision in this tourney is to open the opportunity for less fortunate local chessers for them to be able to avail the NCFP ratings kay daghan sa ato dili makadula sa Manila mao nga dili ma-rating ngan," tournament organizer Esmar Estrella told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Homeworx Engineering, bannered by youthful standouts Lennon Hart Salgados and Antonio Chavez Jr., leads a strong cast in the two-day chessfest, which also lures in top talents from Xavier University and Corpus Christi School.
"Mga upat ka teams sa Xavier ang moapil plus naa pay Corpus. Mga 30 teams gyod ang expected nga magkarambola ini," said arbiter Jokorn Maestrado.
With Candidate Master Johnnel Balquin and the rest of the Misor qualifiers to the 2nd Philippine Olympic Festival off to sail on Saturday for the big city, a wide-open race ensues among the teams of National Masters Levi Mercado and Roger Verganio and youthful rivals Salgados, Jaime 'El Kapitan' Frias, Bryan Jose, Silverio Abasolo and Lyndon Lumancas.
Awaiting the top 3 teams are P10,000, P6,000 and P4,000 plus trophies with the fourth-placer out to receive P2,000.
Cash prizes for individual board medallists and category winners will also be given out. (LLS)
