One of the many tournaments hosted by the Cebu School of Chess. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu School of Chess and Singapore School Cebu have teamed up to organize a high-stakes chess tournament dubbed Checkmate Cebu 2025, set for March 30 at Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
This highly anticipated event is one of the few tournaments featuring both inter-school and open categories, allowing seasoned players, beginners, and school-based teams to compete for chess supremacy.
Adding to its prestige, the tournament has garnered support from some of the Philippines’ top chess organizations, including the Toledo Xignex Trojans, Infinitum Chess, and the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (CEPCA).
A total prize pool of over P100,000 is at stake across three categories: 20-under Juniors, 16-under Unrated, and 14-under Juniors.
All three categories will award cash prizes, medals, and trophies to the top 10 players, with special recognition for outstanding performers. The tournament will follow a Swiss system format with seven to eight rounds and a 12-minute time control per match.
International arbiter Kevin Yap will oversee the competition, ensuring a smooth and fair tournament. Interested participants may contact Yap through the Cebu School of Chess Facebook page for registration details.