Shell Davao leg draws big field

MANILA, Philippines - The 2009 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship (Shell Active Chess) wraps up its seven-leg nationwide eliminations in Davao on Sept. 19-20 with a stellar field tipped to clash for top honors in two divisions at the SM City Davao Event Center.

Due to the expected big number of participants, organizers of the event have staked four berths each in the kiddies and juniors divisions, one more than what the past six legs had offered.

The top four players in both the 20-and-Under and 14-and-Under categories will join the other top finishers in the other legs in the national finals slated on Oct. 10-11 at the SM Megamall, with the junior champion taking home P30,000 and the kiddies winner receiving P20,000.

The Shell Active Chess is the nation’s longest running, grassroots-based chess tournament, which supports the empowerment of the youth as part of Shell’s commitment to sustainable development. The event is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Phils. and backed by Shell Fuels, Shellane, Shell Helix, and McDonald’s, in partnership with SM Supermalls.

Meantime, in an earlier leg held in Iloilo City, guests who made the ceremonial moves during its opening ceremony were Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Sankie Simbulan, business and corporate communications manager of Pilipinas Shell. Joining them was Councilor Jose Espinosa III, also the chair of Iloilo City Sports Council.