By: Romeo Braceros Jr.

 

The Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships will take place at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City from November 17 to 26.

Mayor Abraham Tolentino of Tagaytay City, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, and an honorary member of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), made this announcement.

Players 20 years of age and younger are allowed to compete. Fifty-two of the Asian Chess Federation's member countries are invited. 

Junior athletes from India, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and other neighboring nations are favorites. There will be separate junior and female divisions for the nine-round Swiss systems events.

The Knights Templar Hotel is the site of the competition. 

The Asian Juniors, Girls Blitz, and Rapid Chess Championships will take place simultaneously.

While the Asian Girls champion will receive the Women's Grandmaster norm, the Asian Junior champion will receive the Grandmaster norm. 

The winners will also receive International Master (IM) and Woman International Master (WIM) titles. The winners of the silver and bronze medals will receive IM and WIM standards. The FIDE Woman and the FIDE Master

They will be given master titles. 

The Asian junior and girl winners will receive a personal invitation to the World Junior and Girls Chess Championship the following year.

Under the sponsorship of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE, the event is run by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission and the City of Tagaytay.

"This international event provides the opportunity for Filipino chess players to earn the coveted Grandmaster norm and International Master title," Tolentino said.

The current Philippine national junior and girls champions are FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri, 16, and Mhage Sebastian, 17. The pair are participating in the World Junior and Girls Chess Championships in Sardinia, Italy.

International Masters Daniel Quizon, 18, and Michael Concio, Jr., 17, who shared the title of Southeast Asian Zonal Chess Champion last year, are strong contenders.