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PASIG Pirates and Isabela Knights of Alexander continued their strong showing after five rounds in the 2022 PCAP Third Conference chess championships at the Estancia Mall in Pasig recently.

Pasig overwhelmed Manila Indios Bravos, 14-7, in the fourth round and Cagayan Kings, 16-5, the following round while Isabela bested Rizal Towers, 13.5-7,5, and Mindoro Tamaraws,13-8, to remain as the only two unbeaten teams in the Northern Division with four straight victories in this tournament sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Land and PCWorx.

Over in the Southern Division, Iloilo Kisela Knighs lead the way with three straight wins.

IM Idel Datu and WIM Sherily Cua carried the fight for the Pirates as they hurdled their respective opponents from Manila and Cagayan on boards two and three, respectively.

Datu humbled NM Rolando Andador of Manila, 2.5-.5, and NM Jose Aquino, Jr. of Cagayan,2-1; while Cua swept WNM Ludivina Nadera of Manila, 3-0, and April Joy Ramos of Cagayan, 2-1, to power the Pirates to their fourth straight victory after an opening-round bye.

The victories by Datu and Cua cushioned the impact of GM Mark Paragua’s upset 1-2 loss to FM Nelson Mariano of Manila on board one.

IM Chito Garma of Manila also won over IM Cris Ramayrat of Pasig, 2-1, in the senior board.

Defending champion San Juan Predators bounced back into contention with back-to-back victories over Menila, 12.5-8.5, and 2021 PCAP All-Filipino titleholder Laguna Heroes, 11.5-9.5.

Iloilo also posted twin victories over erstwhile unbeaten Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, 11-10, and Toledo City Trojans, 16-5.

Iloilo led Davao, 11-8.

PCAP, the country’s first and only professional chess league, is headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria, and Chairman Michael Angelo Chua.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) and supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

The Fujairah chess & culture club (FCCC) has the honour to invite all delegates of the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC), national teams and individual solvers, chess composers and all those interested and involved in chess solving & composing, to attend the 64^th World Congress of Chess Composition (WCCC) and 45^th World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC).
The congress will be held from Saturday, November 12^th (arrival) to Saturday, November 19^th, 2022 (departure) at the “Novotel Hotel” **** in Fujairah (UAE), with the WCSC on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 15^th and 16^th. The WCSC director is Ivan Denkovski.

The WCSC (ECSC) is a competition for national teams and individual solvers. It consists of 6 rounds over two days, with 3 rounds each day according to the following table:

The teams consist of three (four at ECSC) solvers and the team-leader who may be one of the solvers. Teams consisting of only two (two or three at ECSC) solvers are also permitted. The members of the teams simultaneously compete in the individual championship.

All countries are entitled to enter one team, the organising country two teams. A country participating with a team(s) is allowed to nominate one further solver for the individual championship.

Visit 64th World Congress of Chess Composition 2022 – Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, 12-19 November 2022 (wfcc.ch)

MANILA, Philippines – With teams, fans and even media still talking about the successful opening weekend of the third and last conference of the season — the Open Conference — for the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) that was held September 23 to 25 at the Estancia Mall in Pasig City, league commissioner Paul Elauria bared what is in store for the third season.

In photo above, PCAP commissioner Paul Elauria (far right) conferring a plaque of appreciation to former GAB Chairman Baham Mitra. PCAP chairman Michael Chua is on the left.

“I think it is quite a successful event,” noted Elauria. “Nakangiti lahat and the guests from Ortigas Land and the Pasig City office were happy and enthusiastic. Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto threw the city’s full support into this opening weekend that helped make for a memorable event considering first time na over-the-board (OTB) chess.”

The PCAP commissioner also appealed to the teams’ understanding surrounding delays and even housing concerns.

“We will get better at this,” promised Elauria.”

“Now the plan of the PCAP board is to hold an OTB chess event at least once a season,” bared the league official. “It is possible that we could do this at the start of the third season which is the All-Filipino Conference.

“We are also studying if we alternate between a northern city and a southern city. If we do go down to the south for next year’s season opener, we will look at Cebu, Davao, Iloilo or even Palawan to hold this,” said Elauria.

“We realize there are cost implications, which is why we are studying this. In due time, we will bare this to the board and then to the teams.”

One notable aspect of the past weekend’s opening was how teams were dressed in their team jerseys.

“Ang maganda rin sa may team uniform or jersey is feel mo na professional athlete ka at team kayo,” said Grandmaster Joey Antonio during the opening ceremony. “Maliban sa unity, ipinapakita na may pride ka to wear yung uniform niyo.”

Added Palawan Queen’s Gambit head coach Susan Neri, “Parang nasa UAAP kami ulit. Ang ganda ng feeling.”

“I think some players thought that nung umpisa laro-laro lang but this is really a professional league,” summed up Elauria. “Unti-unti nag-a-adjust sa liga at sa gusto natin ma-achieve. They are acting more professionally which is good for them, their team, the cities they represent, and for the league as well.”

MANILA, Philippines – The Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates were one of the big winners during the opening weekend of the Open Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines at the Estancia Mall in Pasig City last September 23-25.

Surigao, competing in the Southern Division, took four wins in five matches in the league’s first ever over-the-board chess competition.

The Fianchetto Checkmates defeated Palawan 19-2, Cagayan de Oro 16-5, and Cebu 14-7 last September 24, and split their matches last Sunday. They lost a close match against Southern Division champions Iloilo Kisela Knights, 11-10, but took down Pagadian, 15.5-5.5.

Leading the way for the Fianchetto checkmates were Lennon Hart Salgados on Board 1, Kevin Mirano on Board 2, and Antonio Chavez on Board 5.

Salgados took all 14 out of 15 points in all his match-ups while Mirano garnered 12. Chavez picked up 13 points.

“The 4-0 start of our team is our best start in PCAP,” said team owner Rey Urbiztondo. “We were going for a fifth straight win but we were stopped by Iloilo. So we’re 4-1. It might be luck in the early pairings, but we maintained the pace for our reaching the quarterfinals in all the PCAP conferences.”

Aside from Salgados, Mirano, and Chavez, Surigao’s other titled players include FM Vince Alaan and NM Cyril Ortega.

Other members of Surigao’s professional chess team include John Razel Morazo, Rhenz Rhean Auza, Jhonnel Balquin, Mariel Romero, Aubrey Gallardo, Tyrone Alaan, Engineer Joselito Serna, Rogelio Canoy, Cyrus Donasco and Jessa Mae Lisondra.

“Our regular import, GM Enrico Sevillano, is like our version of the Alaska Aces’ Sean Chambers (in the PBA) as he has been with us decades ago,” added Urbiztondo.

Helping out in the running of the Fianchetto Checkmates is team manager Engineer Dohjie Morales with Congressman Robert Ace Barbers as team sponsor.

“The mall venue is great for a chess tournament,” observed Urbiztondo of the PCAP opening. “Our congratulations to the organizers, the Estancia Mall, Pasig LGU officials who graced us with the presence of Mayor Vico Sotto and Congressman Roman Romulo, the arbiters, the PCAP leadership of Commissioner Paul Elauria and Chairman Michael Chua, the arbiters, teams with their owners, coaches, and players. We appreciated the successful event!”

The Presidential ticket of Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifah Al Nahyan has been nominated for Asian Chess Federation elections by the deadline of 28th September 2022.

Nominated in the Presidential ticket of Sheikh Sultan are Chennai Olympiad Chief Organizer Bharat Singh of India, Hisham Al Taher of the UAE, Thailand Chess Association President Sahapol Nakvanich and former Women’s World Champion Xu Yuhua of China.

Bharat Singh (IND) for Deputy President

 Hisham Al Taher (UAE) for General Secretary

 Sahapol Nakvanich (THA) for Treasurer

 Xu Yuhua (CHN) for Vice President

Nominations for the ticket of Sheikh Sultan were received from the UAE Chess Federation, All India Chess Federation, Thailand Chess Association, Chinese Chess Association, National Chess Federation of the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan Chess Federation, Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Iraq Chess Federation, Oman Chess Committee, Maldives Chess Federation, Myanmar Chess Federation and Palau Chess Federation.

All nominees have signed acceptance of the nomination.

The Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships shall be held at the Knights Templar Hotel 17-26 November 2022 in Tagaytay City, Philippines. The sister Grandmaster Hotel, 2 minutes away by car, will be the official accommodation with bigger double

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines, under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE, in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission and the City of Tagaytay, has the honor to invite all Asian National Chess Federations affiliated to FIDE to participate in the Asian Junior & Girls Chess Championships scheduled 17-26 November 2022 in Tagaytay City, Philippines.

The championship will be 9-round Swiss system tournaments for divisions of juniors and girls under-20. There will also be Rapid and Blitz chess championships. Download Invitation to the Asian Juniors and Girls 2022 and Registration Form Asian Jrs and Girls 2022.

Direct titles shall be awarded for Standard Chess. The gold medalist shall receive a GM/WGM norm. Equal first (best 3 players after tie break) shall receive the title of IM/WIM, silver and bronze medalists receive IM/WIM norms and FM/WFM titles in accordance with FIDE title regulations.

See Philiopine government requirements for international tourists: PIA – DOT lists requirements for int’l tourists

3 dose of vaccination needed or PCR (48hrs valid) and registration on link below required.

https://www.onehealthpass.com.ph/

A record 197 players from 20 countries are competing in the Asian Amateur Chess Championship Open and Women’s 28 Sep – 06 Oct 2022 at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex in Muscat, Oman. Visit chess-results.com for round by round standings and results.

In photo above and below, Muscat Mayor Ahmad Al-Homeidi makes the ceremonial moves at the Open (above) and Women’s sections (below). Standing are Tournament Director IA Abdulrahim Mahdi (left) and Oman Chess Committee president Ahemd Bin Darwish Al Bulushi.

Watch live games at:

ASIAN AMATEUR CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP ( Open ):

https://view.livechesscloud.com/#86f199b3-b33a-4574-9d4b-2945f80abcfe

ASIAN AMATEUR CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP ( WOMEN ):

https://view.livechesscloud.com/#5687e9a3-1ae2-455d-8b3a-7e48dcd9e858

The tournaments are 9-round Swiss System events with standard time control of 90 minutes with the addition of 30 seconds
per move starting from the first move. Games are scheduled 5pm with additional morning sessions at 10am on 30 Sept and 2 Oct.  At stake are cash prizes as follows:

The tournament is technically supervised by the international organizer, IA/IO Mahdi Abdul Rahim, and the Arbiters committee is headed by Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, and a number of Omani internationals are participating in the jury, namely (Muslim Al-Wadahi, Khaled Al-Hadidi, Hamdan Al-Hinai and Ruqayyah Al-Balushi).

The organizing committee aims to enhance the Sultanate’s position as a primary destination for participating in international sporting events and to support and enable the people of the Sultanate to participate in such a sporting event, thus enhancing their confidence in themselves as players, athletes, referees and organizers at a global level.

Participating countries are:

The Asian Chess Federation cordially invites Presidents/Delegates of National Chess Federations in Asia to the Asian Chess Summit, a chess family gathering from 26 th to 29th December 2022 in Al Ain, UAE.

Resource speakers shall be invited to address the Symposium and Development Program. We invite national federations to give a presentation on their activities at the Chess Forum. Zone Presidents may schedule zonal meetings. The Summit will provide an opportunity for federations to find areas of cooperation with each other.
26 Dec 2022 – Arrival
27 Dec 2022 – Asian Chess Symposium
Asian Chess Development Program
28 Dec 2022 – Asian Chess Forum
Continental Assembly
Asian Chess Excellence Awards (Gala Dinner)
29 Dec 2022 – Departure

As previously announced, the Asian Continental Assembly is scheduled 28 December 2022 together
with the Asian Chess Summit.

Please note Electoral Regulations in Asian Chess Federation Statutes:

14.1 The President, the Deputy President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer and the Vice
President are elected on a combined ticket, at least one of whom must be a woman.
Nominations on the Presidential ticket shall specify the proposed nominees to run for the
offices of President, Deputy President, Secretary General, Treasurer and Vice President.

14.2 Nominations for the Presidential ticket must reach the Secretariat at least three months
before the opening of the Continental Assembly. Each ticket must be nominated by at least any
five-member federations. The nomination of the federations shall be communicated to ACF by
the federation’s President. A federation is entitled to nominate only one Presidential ticket. ACF
is entitled to accept the authenticity of the nomination it receives and no nomination can be
withdrawn once given, unless the number of the Presidential ticket become less than 5 persons
for any reason.

14.3 Each Presidential Candidate shall present to the Secretariat the following documents within
the deadline above: (a) the names of the persons included on the Presidential ticket with their
positions (b) nominating letters by at least five federation Presidents (c) letters of confirmation
of acceptance from each person on the ticket.

Nominations should be received by ACF Secretariat at asianchessfederation@yahoo.com by 28
September 2022. Forms were emailed to all national federations in Asia.