Shell Active Chess kicks off at SM Skydome

Manila, Philippines - The search for future chess stars resumes in July when the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship (Shell Active Chess) kicks off its 2011 season with a five-leg regional eliminations culminating in the grand finals in October.

The Skydome Event Center at SM North EDSA will host the first leg on July 2-3 for the National Capital Region leg before the circuit goes up north in Tuguegarao for the Northern Luzon leg on July 23-24 at the Brickstone Mall.

Batangas will host the third leg on Aug. 13-14 for the Southern Luzon stage while the fourth leg will be held Aug. 27-28 at SM Davao-Activity Center for the Mindanao leg.

The circuit then winds up on Sept. 10-11 at SM Cebu-Activity Center for the Visayas leg.

Listup for Shell Active Chess is ongoing. Registration forms are available at the Pilipinas Shell website (www.shell.com.ph/shell_chess <http://www.shell.com.ph/shell_chess>, and at selected schools, chess clubs and municipal/provincial government offices. Fee is pegged at P100 with the field limited to 300 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

For details, contact tournament director Alex Dinoy (0922-8288510 or 02-400-3248) or leg coordinators Mariano Cabugos (078) 844-0513 (Tuguegarao), Joselito Castro (043) 723-2568/723-4246 (Batangas), Ronnie Tabudlong (0929-240-7371 or 082 300-4260 (Davao) and Odilon Badilles (0906-555-6073) (Cebu).

The top two finishers in the juniors (20-and-under) and kiddies (14-and-under) boys’ division will vie for the national crown in the grand finals slated Oct. 8-9 at SM Megamall. The top two kiddies and two juniors in the girls class in the NCR leg and the kiddies and juniors winners in the girls’ category in the four other regional eliminations will also advance to the national finals.

The Shell Active Chess is the nation’s longest running, grassroots-based chess tournament. It is organized by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (Pilipinas Shell) to support the empowerment of the Filipino youth through chess and held in line with the company’s commitment to sustainable development.

It is also sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Phl, and supported by Shell V-Power, Shellane and Shell Helix in partnership with SM Supermalls, Rudy Project and Brickstone Mall in Tuguegarao leg.

The event features the leading players and rising stars in the juniors and kiddies ranks, including students and out-of-school youths. In the 19 years of the competition, Shell Active Chess has produced world-class players, such as GMs Wesley So, one of the world’s youngest GMs, Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo.