THE Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships will be held on Nov. 17-26 at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City.
Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee and International Chess Federation honorary member, said the event is open to players aged 20 and below.
Players from 52 member nations of the Asian Chess Federation have been invited to participate, with entries from India, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore among the favorites.
The tournament will be a 9-round Swiss system.
To be held simultaneously with the tourney are the Asian Juniors and Girls Rapid Chess and Blitz Chess Championships.
The boys Asian Junior champion will earn a Grandmaster norm while the Asian Girls champion will earn a Women’s Grandmaster norm, aside from earning International Master and Woman International Master titles.
IM and IWM norms will go to the silver and bronze medalists, aside from FIDE Master and FIDE Woman Master titles.
The champions in both divisions will also earn the right to participate in next year’s World Juniors and Girls Chess Championship.
The event is organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission and City of Tagaytay under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE.
“This international event gives Filipino chess players the opportunity to earn the coveted Grandmaster norm and International Master title,” Tolentino said.
FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri, 16, and Mhage Sebastian, 17, are the reigning Philippine national junior and girls’ champions, respectively. The pair are competing in the World Juniors and Girls Chess Championships in Sardinia, Italy.
Among the strong contenders are International Masters Daniel Quizon, 18, and Michael Concio, Jr., 17, who were co-champions in the Southeast Asian Zonal chess championship held online last year.
