Asean youth chess begins

MANILA, Philippines - The Asean and age-group chess championships kick off today with the leading junior players in the region clashing for top honors at the Verona Hall of the Traveler’s Hotel (beside Venezia Hotel) inside the Subic Bay Freeport in Subic.

FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia and NM Paulo Bersamina, the reigning national juniors champion, head the local challenge in the tournament, which drew players from Australia, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Russia, Vietnam and the US.

NCFP president/chairman Butch Pichay and ACC president Ignatius Leong will make the ceremonial moves at 2 p.m. Others expected to grace the event are Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Armand Arreza, FIDE delegate Casto Abundo and NCFP secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino.   

The first round will begin at 9 a.m.

The other local bets are Mari Joseph Turqueza, Alcon John Datu, Richelieu Salcedo III, Haridas Pascua and Alfredo Rapanot in the boys 20-under; Jan Nigel Galan, Christian Flores, McDominique Lagula and Marc Nazario in the boys 16 under; Austin Jacob Literatus, Vince Angelo Medina and Allan Pason in the boys 14 under.