At least 200 players are expected to join the four-day event organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., which offers a P70,000 cash prize to the champion. Cash prizes will also be given to sixth to 20th placers after the eliminations.
The six members of last year’s Chess Olympiad together with Shell National Open Chess Championship champion NM Ronald Dableo, have already been seeded to the grand finals.
The members of the Bled Olympiad are Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor, GM-candidate Mark Paragua, NM Petronio Roa and IM Nelson Mariano.