Year Round Chess Fest

These two first:

I saw the article A Mathematical Chessboard Paradox at ChessBase.com authored by Prof. Christian Hesse and in it he shows us that the 64 squares on our chessboard is actually 65.

Then after some ala-quantum-blah blah explanation, he retracts. It's not really 65 and that we were right after all that 64 is 64 and it's not 65.

And Levon Aronian is up ahead by a full point in the 18th Amber Chess Tournament. With Carlsen losing against Kramnik in 20 moves of their blindfold match and Anand's loss against Morozevich via his 25th move Queen-hanger also in their lindfold match. Both losers are sharing the 2nd spot in the standings.

And on to our main course:

The local scene. School chess now moves in the green compound as the Philippine La Sallian Chess Association's 2009 Rapid Chess Tournament unfold on March 28 and 29 at the 2nd floor of DLSU Sports Center of the Taft Campus.

Remember our post here long time ago about schools staging chess tourneys?

As far as I know, Xavier School has been running an event like this for the past 5 years now. Right Sir John? Then came the Letran Calamba Chess Tournament. Soon enough, the Blue compound residents staged their own chess tourney called something like Leviste Sr. Chess Cup directed by IM Idelfonso.

So we have DLSU, Ateneo, Xavier and Letran sponsoring annual inter-school chess tournaments and this is really good!

One thing though, Xavier is the only one that caters to long game format : 45/G. we all know that longer time control is the best way to train up our younger stars.

Take time to consider this:

What if these four schools sit down and plan together for next year? An inter-school chess circuit? Same rules, same team composition. Since one school year is divided in 4 quarters (local school system) the said four schools will each have their turn to host one weekend of chess tournament. Once in every 3 months is really wonderful! Considering the schedule of the NCAA and UAAP Chess, it will be a Grand Prix for our players!

Hmmm! C'mon take this idea, grab it, use it for the common good of the people of Philippine Chess! NCFP... DepEd... NAPCA... CAAP... Any takers? Angkinin nyo na 'to, ideas are cheap anyways.

We can call it the Philippine National School Chess Championships : Grade School and Secondary.

But wait, do not start big, please don't. Let's be pragmatic about this. Let us think big but start small, that's the way to go!

Pyesta to pag nagkataon!