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CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon has partnered with the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) for his first-ever chess tournament, the “1st Councior Rey Gealon Chess Tournament,” slated on September 10, 2023.
The tournament that is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) is expected to draw over a hundred woodpushers, both rated and non-rated, according to Cepca official Jun Olis.
Last month, Cepca also hosted the inaugural Pisay Alumni Open Chess Tournament at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu which attracted over 250 woodpushers.
Olis expects to draw about the same number of players for the September 10 tournament because of the generous cash prizes.
Gealon, in an earlier interview with CDN Digital, said that he intends to organize a major chess tournament.
He made the announcement after the success of the inaugural Councilor Rey Gealon Open Scrabble Tournament at the SM Seaside City Cebu last May which had over a hundred word wizards participating in the two-day tournament.
The September 10 tournament aims to discover new chess talents that could represent Cebu and the Philippines in international tournaments in the future.
Also, it aims to provide chess players a sustainable top-notch chess tournament locally.
The open category champion will take home a cash prize of P8,000 while the second and third placers will get P5,000 and P3,000. The fourth placer will receive P2,000 and P1,000 will go to the fifth placer.
The sixth to 15th placers won’t go home empty handed as they will also receive cash prizes.
Special category winners such as the best collegiate, best high school, best elementary, and best age groupers will receive cash prizes.
The tournament will feature a nine-round Swiss system format with 10 minutes playing time and three second increment. / dcb
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