Toledo mayor promises bigger chess tourney next year

Toledo City Mayor Marjorie Perales promises a bigger Hinulawan Festival 3 on 3 Chess Tournament next year during the tournament. | Toledo City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines—- With the magnitude of success in the recently concluded inaugural Toledo City Hinulawan Festival 3 on 3 Chess Tournament last June 5-6, the organizers are already brewing something bigger for next year. 

Lawyer Jeah Jean Gacang, the playing team owner of the vaunted Toledo City Trojans professional chess team, revealed that no less than Toledo City Mayor Marjorie Perales told them that there would be a bigger tournament next year.

In her speech, Mayor Perales asked the city treasurer’s office that there would be another edition next year with bigger cash prizes. 

“Mayor (Perales) was overwhelmed to see the number of participants in the tournament. She did not expect that we can draw such numbers, so she was very positive during her speech that there will be another tournament next year after seeing chess players not just from Toledo but all around Cebu,” said Gacang. 

The cash-rich tournament drew a total of 222 woodpushers who vied in the 3-on-3 team and kiddies categories that was held at the Cebeco III covered court. It was the largest on-the-board chess tournament in Cebu since the pandemic happened.

“We were overwhelmed with how the Cebu chess community showed their support of our tournament. I grew up in Toledo not witnessing a tournament like this one, so I’m very proud to that we’re able to hold a tournament as big as this one. Although it was risky because of the pandemic, but we made sure to tap our city health office to ensure the health and safety protocols in the entire tournament,” said Gacang. 

Because of the successful outcome of the tournament, woodpushers in Toledo will get to enjoy a monthly on-the-board tournament starting next month onwards that will be organized by the Trojans and the Toledo City LGU. 

The tournament also discovered chess talents in the city after Redentor Nailon of the champion team, the Bachelors and the Dark Knights’ Ariel Joseph Abellana were both recruited by the Trojans to compete with them in the ongoing Professional Chess Assocciation of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup Conference. 

Nailon teamed up with the Trojans’ ace woodpusher Richard Natividad and another top-notch chess player Dennis Navales in winning the title of the the 3-on-3 team competition. 

Abellana, meanwhile, teamed up with another member of the Trojans, National Master (NM) Rogelio Enriquez Jr. along with Delfin Yano for the Dark Knights which placed fourth. 

The awarding ceremony of the winning teams and kiddies woodpushers will be held tomorrow, June 12, Independence Day at the Toledo City Sports Center at 1:00 PM.

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