Belmonte invited to grace chessfest rites

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has been invited as the guest of honor of the finals of the National Open Chess championships which start today at Ramon Magsaysay Hall of the SSS building in Quezon City.

Belmonte, one of Quezon City’s proud sons, is expected to grace the simple opening ceremonies at 1 p.m., ushering in hostilities of the next stage of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Also on hand to grace the affair is Horace Templo, SSS executive vice president, who is scheduled to make the ceremonial moves with Belmonte.

The big guns enter the round as Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor make their debut and join nine other entries who qualified from the elimination series which ended last Saturday.

Leading the challenge against the country’s three top players for the top men’s prize of P130,000 are FIDE Master Idelfonso Datu and National Master Emmanuel Senador who shared top honors after the men’s division eliminations.

The other contenders are International Master Chito Garma, FIDE Master Jesse Noel Sales and National Masters Richard Bitoon, Jayson Gonzales, Reggie Olay, Darwin Laylo and Allan Sayson.

The finals of the women’s division also get going with nine qualifiers from the elimination round, led by topnotcher Daisy Rivera, slugging it out with International Master Christine Rose Mariano, FIDE Master Arianne Caoili and National Master Beverly Mendoza.

The other female finalists are Rusela Joya, Joann Toledo, Jennifer Cruz, Sheerie Joy Lomibao, Minda Flores, Aileen Riza Caños, Jonalyn Torres and Ana Paula Castillo.

They will dispute the top pot of P50,000 up for grabs in the women’s division.

The finals in both divisions will be a round-robin series with the top five finishers qualifying for the national teams that will represent the country in the Asian Zonals kicking off April 23 in Manila.