International Chess Tournaments

We're hours away from the opening of one of the major tournaments in the Philippines for this year!

The 2nd Philippine Open International Chess Championship is schedule on May 7 - 14, 2008 at the Lounge Area of the Subic Bay International and Convention Center, in Subic Freeport Zone, Olongapo City. The 3rd Philippine Open International Chess Championship will be held from May 16 - 23, 2008 in Clark, Pampanga.

Just visit the Official Website of the NCFP for details and daily bulletin(hopefully!). ABS-CBN News Online has something to say about this twin-tournament here.

Just a thought and suggestion from Grandmaster Let... "The Age Group Champions could be fielded in the Chess Challenge Category of International Open Chess Tourneys to give them an over-the-board-games training"

Hmmmm! I think it's a good idea!

SUPPORT our Age Grouper: Asean Age in Danang, Vietnam from June 9-19, 2008. Paulo Bersamina is the official representative of RP for winning the 10-under crown. All expenses paid for him but hey, he is a minor and need a chaperon in the name of Sally Bersamina, the mother.


In other local news, NM Marlon Bernardino reports:

CRISOLOGO-CALALAY CHESS CUP GETS GOING

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

THE Crisologo and Calalay Cup Chess 1850 Tournament gets underway on May 18, 8:00am at the Barangay Damayan Multi-Purpose Hall in Quezon City.

The champion will be receiving P3,000 plus trophy, the runner-up gets P2,000 plus trophy and third placer will pocketed P1,000 plus trophy. Fourth to tenth placers will likewise to receive P200 plus medal. Free Registration fee in the first-come-first serve basis.

Frisco Chess Club president Des Quisumbing said that said chessfest is open to all woodpushers with an average rating of 1850 and open to all bonafide resident of District I in Quezon City in the event backed up by representative Bingbong Crisologo and councilor Boy Calalay. For inquiries, contact Frisco Chess Club president Des Quisumbing at 0920-479-8160 for complete details. MARLON BERNARDINO

And in foreign news, The fourth international chess tournament M-Tel Masters starts on May 7 2008 in Sofia's Military Club and will last till May 18.

Six of the world's best will take part in the tournament this year. Last year's champion Vesselin Topalov and Ivan Cheparinov will play for Bulgaria. They will meet Armenia's Levon Aronian, Ukraine's Vassily Ivanchuk, Azerbaijan's Teimour Radjabov and China's Bu Xiangzhi.

Well they are making a big deal out of the fact that the official website will have three language versions, Bulgarian, English and Chinese. Yes, they want to capture the Chinese Chess community. Ever heard of Google's Babel Translator?

Chessdom has a live games coverage and commentary here.

Chessbase' Edward Winter Explorations (1) is a nice read and if your hungry for more, check out this another site called Chess Notes by Edward Winters .

And before ending this piece, check out fpawn's blog and learn a lot from his writings and teachings.