The much-awaited National Master (NM) Roger Abella Memorial Open Chess tournament will unfurl today at the fourth level of the Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
Around a hundred of Cebu’s finest woodpushers will showcase their mastery in chess in the hope of emerging as the overall champion and walk away with the P7,000 purse at stake.
The tournament is co-organized by the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) and the Cebu Scrabble Association (CSA), and is sponsored by the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC).
Invited to take part in the tournament are NM Rommel Ganzon, NM Rogelio Enriquez Jr., Edsel Montoya, Mario Mangubat, Bryle Arellano, NM Arnolito Cadiz, Richard Natividad, Rosendo Yamyamin, Candidate Master Jerish John Velarde and a lot more of Cebu’s top woodpushers.
The tournament was organized to pay homage to the late Abella, the father of Cebu scrabble, and one of Cebu’s pillars in chess.
He passed away in 2013.
The runner-up will receive P5,000, while the third placer will walk away with P3,000.
The fourth to 10th placers will each receive a cash prize as well as the top kiddy, top lady, and the top senior performers of the tournament.
The tournament will have a seven-round Swiss system format and will follow the FIDE chess rules.