MIsOr, Tagaytay chess faves

MANILA, Philippines - Misamis Oriental and multititled Tagaytay City have been tagged as favorites in the 2011 National Inter-Cities and Municipalities chess team championship that will be held Nov. 4-8 at the Tanauan Gymnasium in Tanauan City, Batangas.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno and Vice Gov. Norres Babiera will draw power from Grandmaster Darwin Laylo while Tagaytay of Mayor Abraham Tolentino Jr. will lean on GM Wesley So in their bid for the P150,000 top purse.

Other member of the Misamis Oriental chess team are NM Onofre Espiritu, Allan Cantonjos and Jhonel Balquin while completing the Tagaytay chess squad are NM Edmundo Gatus, Ivan Gil Biag and Andrew Casiano.

At least 30-teams, led by the country’s top titled and untitled players, are seeing action in the five-day event organized  by Tanauan Economic Council, headed by lawyer Ruel Canobas and supervised by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by it’s chairman/ president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. 

Prizes have been broken down to the 10th placer, with the runner-up getting P90,000.Special awards will also be given to the individual board champions with P5,000 to be awarded to the team with the best uniform.

A rapid-chess side event among players of eliminated teams will also be held simultaneously with the semifinal and final rounds with P20,000 cash prize to be disputed.For details, contact Edwin Castillo of Tanauan City (09167027157); IA Gene Poliarco chief arbiter (09237309445); or NCFP executive director GM Jayson Gonzales (343-3089).