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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.

For government regulations for international travelers to Indonesia, please visit How To Get Visa On Arrival in Indonesia? – Direktorat (imigrasi.go.id). Download Requirements to apply for an Indonesian visa

The 121st Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 7/10/2022 to 9/10/2022 by the Asian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE. Visit fide.com 121st online FIDE Arbiters Seminar.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Abundo, Casto (PHI), FIDE Lecturer. Interested parties may email casto.abundo@gmail.com

The language of the Seminar will be English.

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

By Marlon Bernardino
Nika Juris Nicolas, a 10 year old from Pasig City emerged as Champion in the Under 11 Girls division of the National Youth and Schools Chess Championships Grand Finals or NYSCC held September 17 – 21, 2022 at Dapitan City Cultural Complex in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and cross table.

The NYSCC is a national tournament conducted under the auspices of the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. It brings together the best chess players under 17 years of age all over the Philippines who have successfully hurdled the Pre-eliminations, Eliminations and Semi-Finals.

The Philippine chess community was at awe when the 10 year old chess prodigy Nika Juris Nicolas defeated veteran chess players in the Grand Finals. Representing Pasig City and her school OB Montessori Greenhills, Nika  played under the tutelage of her coaches Lourecel Hernandez Ecot , Von Francisco and Raul Damuy. Her win will entitle her to a Woman Candidate National Master Title.

Nika’s chess prowess was first noticed in the international community when she scored the most number of points for the Philippine Team of Girls Under 10 in the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships held last April 2022, leading the Philippine Team to a Bronze Medal. She placed 12th best chess player overall for girls under 10 in the ASEAN, with the first to eleventh places taken by players hailing from Vietnam.

Nika also placed First Runner-Up in the previously concluded National Age Group Chess Championships Grand Finals or NAGC held last July 19-24 in Malolos, Bulacan, besting other seasoned chess players in the Girls Under 10 Division from Bulacan, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Cavite, Batangas and Dipolog.

Nika is the daughter of lawyer-broadcaster Atty. Nikki de Vega and Atty. Karlo Nicolas.