Grandmaster Joey Antonio spearheads the GM Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. Chess Team that will see action in the 1^st Gov. Henry S. Oaminal 8-in-1 Chess Festival slated on Nov. 10 to 12 in Misamis Occidental.

The 61-year-old Antonio, who was part of the national team that won silver in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, will compete in Board 1 and will join teammates Drigo “Ringo” Acero Teves and Michael Jan Stephen “Bonbon” Inigo.

Teves and Inigo will play in Boards 2 and 3, respectively.

Antonio will also play simultaneous exhibition matches with other notable players against Hall of Famer Eugene Torre on opening day.

The chess festival, which will be held at the Ozamis City Auditorium, is part of the 94^th Provincial Anniversary celebrations. It is hosted by Gov. Oaminal and organized by Rey Cris Urbiztondo, a National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) director and president of the Asenso Misamis Occidental Chess Association.

Also expected to see action are teams from AE Bob, Mind Movers, Pacman Chess Association, Philippine Army (Taguig), Buenaville, Libay Corp, Negros Team, Maritima Chess Club, Koronadal Ebon Restaurant, Minglanilla Cebu LGU, Ligon All Stars, Iligan, Dipolog, Misamis Oriental team, Zamboanga City and some squads from Southern Mindanao.

Opening the festivities on Friday, Nov. 10, will be a motorcade around the city followed by a courtesy call to City Mayor Atty. Henry F. Oaminal, who will also play in the simul exhibition in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, events on tap in the tournament are individual, team, rapid and blitz with a total prize pot of P500,000.

Also lined up are age group, executive and Armageddon round-robin events.