Cagayan de Oro hosts Shell chess

The 2002 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship moves this weekend to Cagayan de Oro City for the North Mindanao segment of the annual nationwide chess festival. Venue will be the De Luxe Hotel.

Leading the tournament opening rites are Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation’s corporate affairs coordinator for communications Karen Yaptinchay.

At stake in the seven-round Swiss system tournament are a combined purse of P27,000, medals and the honor to represent the region in the national finals.

Pilipinas Shell chess officials expressed their elation over the tremendous support and record-setting participation given by local schools and community-based chess clubs for the 10-year old tournament.

The yearly tournament has turned up six international masters, seven women international masters, over two dozens FIDE, national and women national masters, including a growing pool of emerging talents fielded in chess competitions and festivals abroad.