SOME of the best woodpushers in the country are expected to compete in the Engr. Blas Hipulan and Deep Blue Open Chess Tournament slated June 28 to 30 at the Deep Blue Café in SM City Cebu.
Cebuano Grand Master(GM) Richard Bitoon already confirmed his participation in the nine-round Swiss system rapid tournament while GM Darwin Laylo is also expected to join along with International Master (IM) Emmanuel Emperado and other wood pushers from Mindanao.
The tournament offers the biggest purse in a chess tournament so far in Cebu with more than P100,000 cash prizes at stake. The winner will bring home P40,000 while the top kiddies player will receive P2,000.
Engr. Hipulan said that the tournament aims to further promote the sport of chess in Cebu. It also looks to develop the skills of youngsters.
“Last December, we held a tournament and it was successful. That’s why we decided to stage a bigger tournament,” said Hipulan.
The tournament will be sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP). It was launched last Tuesday at the Deep Blue Café headed by Hipulan. Also present were Deep Blue Café owner Molet Hortelano, FIDE Arbiter Felix Poloyapoy and Engr. Ehte Dominguito.
“We are promoting this tournament because this is one of the sport where Filipinos can excel,” added Hipulan./CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL