BATTLE-SCARRED Grandmasters (GMs) Joey Antonio and Darwin Laylo will invade Ozamiz City to banner the elite cast participating in the 1st Henry S. Oaminal 7-in-1 Chess Festival from Nov. 10-12.
The grandmasters will also hold lectures and stage simul games on the side to help drum up support for the game.
Mr. Antonio and Mr. Laylo, both Olympiad veterans, will have their eyes on the P500,000 pot at stake for multiple categories, including the rapid event with P30,000 going to the winner, the blitz (5,000), and the Armaggedon Battle of Philippine champions.
The two will also join Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre in playing simul games against the best, not just from Ozamiz but also all comers from Mindanao.
The highlight is the Armageddon event featuring Antonio, Laylo, International Masters Joel Pimentel, Ronald Bancod, Rolando Nolte, Kim Steven Yap and Rechieliu Salcedo, FIDE Masters AJ Literatus, Alekhine Nouri, Ellan Asuela and Nelson Villanueva.
Other top players seeing action are International Masters Angelo Young and Rico Mascarinas, with Lennon Hart Salgados, Johnnel Balquin and Jayson Salubre the notable players representing Mindanao.
Also on tap are individual and team, age-group and executive events. — Joey Villar