The best local government units in the country converge in the 1st Masskara Festival National Inter-Province, Cities and Municipalities Chess Team Championships which starts today at the Forest Park Resort in Bacolod City.
The five-day event will stake more than P600,000 in cash prizes courtesy of the city of Bacolod headed by Mayor Alfredo Benitez and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
The tournament will implement an Olympiad style format where each squad will be allowed to field in a maximum of five players with four to play, according to NCFP chief executive officer Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.
The champion will pocket the top purse of P150,000 while the second and third placers get P100,000 and P50,000, respectively, in this meet done in cooperation with the Department of Interior and Local Government, Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, Inc.. Bacolod Information Office, Bacolod City Tourism Office, Bacolod City Health Office, Philippine Arbiters Chess Confederation and Bacolod Chess Players Association.
Host Bacolod alone is fielding in two teams while Negros Occidental will have several squads including San Carlos, Escalante, Silay City, Talisay City, Vicorias City, and Cadiz.
International Master Joel Pimentel will spearhead Bacolod’s first team while the second squad is headed by Grandmaster Darwin Laylo wih FIDE Master David Elorta, Jerry Areque and Brylle Arellano playing in the lower boards.
Grandmasters Joey Antonio is teaming up with International Master Emmanuel Emperado, Nezil Merilles and Joselito Asi for Calapan City.
“We’re doing our best to do well in this big tournament,” said Antonio, whose team is managed by Marvin Panahon.
Panabo, Davao del Norte is sending a squad of Sherwin Tiu, Samson Lim, Ronald Hermida, Paul Sanchez and Bembem Quinonez.
