EVEN with the withdrawal of one National Master, hostilities will go on as it unfolds Sunday with 132 registrants that catch up the deadline Friday, which includes a woman NM in the elite 2010 George Aguirre/Atty. Eugenio Villasor Villanueva Jr. (GAEV) at the Ang Sugbahan of the Top's Bowling Drive-In Restaurant along 10th-Hilado Streets, Capitol Shopping Center, Bacolod City.
NM Alfed Acaling lll of Cadiz City withdraws in the last minute Friday as he is joining the Campomanes Cup in Manila, which is a conflict with his participation in the GAEV chessfest.
His withdrawal, however, did not affect the latest number of registrants, as NM Ronalie Toledo, the lone woman contender, joined the men-dominated NM norms along with her father NM Rodolfo Toledo, both of Bacolod City.
Other National Masters are Sander Severino of Silay City, Alan Severino, Edwin Tan of San Carlos City and US Master Rodrigo Atotubo who are expected to crowd defending champion Bryll
John Arellano.
Dodz Felisilda, tournament director and chief arbiter, said those who registered early and submitted by Gilbert Villanueva will be included in the 1st round pairing.
Each participant was charged with registration fee of P200 to defray expenses for officiating and other related expenses during the duration of the tournament.
This tournament is sponsored by US-based chess patrons Antonio Ivan Aguirre and Engineer Hugo Villanueva.
Aguirre, the youngest brother of George who is now connected with a US-based international organization, is a certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner, a certified system investigator and a holder of Master of Business Administration degree.
He is the co-author of a casebook on "computer fraud" and the second book entitled "Internet Fraud Casebook" that was all published by Wiley publishers.
Moreover, he is a martial arts instructor and a former college chess varsity of La Salle-Bacolod (now USLS).
Villanueva is the fourth and youngest son of the late lawyer Eugenio Villasor Villanueva Jr., a US Senior Chess Master, and a former college chess varsity player of West Negros College (now West Negros University).
He is currently a US-based businessman and a licensed practicing Professional Electrical Engineer after passing the US State Board exam in 2009.
The top three scorers in the tournament's kiddies 13 years old and below category will receive P700 plus gold chess medal for first place donated by Dr. Jesus D. Villanueva, M.D. and Raymund D. Villanueva; P500 plus silver chess medal for second place donated by Ms. May Jo Aguirre; and P300 plus bronze chess medal for third place donated by Atty. Joselito Gonzaga Magapan and Sonia N. Maga-pan.
The top three scorers in the women's division will also receive special prizes of P1,000, plus gold chess medal for first place donated by Dr. Elvira G. Ramos; P600 plus silver chess medal for the second place donated by Atty. Susan D. Villanueva and Atty. Joey Ochave Law Office; and P400 plus bronze chess medal for third place donated by Anthony Leo N. Aguirre.
Open category are: for the Champion - P6,000 plus 42-inch, four-legged trophy donated by the First Community Bank (Rural Bank), Inc. through its president Mr. Lawrence D. Villanueva; for the 1st Runner-up - P5,000 plus 36-inch, four-legged "Queen" trophy donated by Mr. Antonio Ivan S. Aguirre, CPA, CFE, CSI, MBA; for the 2nd Runner-up - P3,500 plus 30-inch, four-legged "Rook" trophy donated by the Center for Clinical Trials, LLC (Dr. Catalina S. Villanueva, M.D.); for the 3rd Runner-up - P2,500 plus 27-inch, four-legged "Bishop" trophy donated by Ms. Leah N. Aguirre; and 4th Runner-up - P1,000 plus 24-inch, four-legged "Knight" trophy donated by Chessbake Engineering Group of Engr. Hugo Villa-nueva, P.E.
The 6th to 25th places will each receive Eureka chess sets with chess mats and bags donated by Mr. Alexander Fomenko.
The seven-round Swiss system event is organized by the Game Royale Aficionados of Negros Inc. headed by Dr. Alfonso Teorima. It is open to male and female players from Negros who must know how to record chess games either through the Descriptive English Notation or Algebraic Notation and must provide their own tournament chess sets and chess clocks. (With reports from Scoop-Bacolod)