SOME 200 woodpushers are expected to vie for honors when the JEWM-Mayor Inday ug Bise Mayor Rody Kadayawan Chess Festival Age-Group Tournament gets underway on Saturday and Sunday at the Gaisano Grand Citimall entertainment center.
The free-registration tournament features the girls and boys eight years old and below, 10 and below, 12 and below, 14 and below, 16 and below and 18 and below categories.
Cash prizes and medals await the top three placers of the two-day event sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Region 11 and presented by the city government of Davao through the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO).
Noted Davao City players competing include Doña Carmen Denia National High School mainstays Austin Jacob Literatus and John Ray Batucan, both Asean Age-Group Chess Championships gold medalists, Jose Maria College's Rowelyn Joy Acedo, Ella Grace Moulic and cousins Irish and Dhona Yngayo, among others.
Visiting players from Tagum, Island Garden City of Samal, Kidapawan, General Santos, Digos, Davao del Sur, Mati, Compostela Valley and Panabo are also entered.
The Ppen edition of the event concluded last weekend at the Davao Doctors College (DDC) with Panabo bet James Bulicatin emerging as winner. (MLSA)