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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Misamis Occidental to host ASEAN+ Individual Chess Championships

Misamis Occidental to host ASEAN+ Individual Chess Championships

Published Aug 10, 2025 01:02 pm

At A Glance

  • The nine-day tournament is expected to draw at more than the four GMs and six International Masters required for a tournament to be eligible to hand out an automatic GM title to the eventual champion.
MOA Signing from left to right: NCFP CEO GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP Chairman President Hon. Prospero A. Pichay Jr., Misamis Occidental Governor Hon. Henry S. Oanimal and AMOFCA President Engr. Rey Urbiztondo Standing L-R: NCFP Admistrative Officer IA Reden CRUZ, NCFP Legal Counsel Atty. Nikki De Vega , Joel J. Agraviador, Governor's Executive Assistant and IM Ronald Bancod.
MOA Signing from left to right: NCFP CEO GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP Chairman President Hon. Prospero A. Pichay Jr., Misamis Occidental Governor Hon. Henry S. Oanimal and AMOFCA President Engr. Rey Urbiztondo Standing L-R: NCFP Admistrative Officer IA Reden CRUZ, NCFP Legal Counsel Atty. Nikki De Vega , Joel J. Agraviador, Governor's Executive Assistant and IM Ronald Bancod.
Titles including Grandmaster and norms will be on the line when the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and Misamis Occidental stage the ASEAN+ Individual Chess Championships or Gov. Henry Oaminal Cup set Nov. 2 to 10 at the province’s Resort and Aquamarine Park.
The nine-day tournament is expected to draw at more than the four GMs and six International Masters required for a tournament to be eligible to hand out an automatic GM title to the eventual champion.
Apart from the GM title to the winner, the meet will also award an IM title and a GM norm to the second placer and an IM to the third placer in the open section while a WGM title will be staked in the women’s side.
Aside from the open and women’s sections of this ASEAN Chess Confederation-sanctioned event, there will be other divisions like 2000 and 1700 and below rated participants.
Expected to represent the country in the event are GMs Daniel Quizon, Joey Antonio, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo as well as WGM Janelle May Frayna while the IMs that are joining are Pau Bersamina, Jem Garcia, Ricky de Guzman, Chito Garma, Ronald Bancod and Michael Concio, Jr.
All these came to fruition after the recent memorandum of agreement signing of NCFP president/chairman Butch Pichay, and host Gov. Henry Oaminal, according to NCFP chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales.
The event, to be held at the newly constructed resort hotel dubbed as the Maldives of Mindanao, is being done to produce more titled players for the country and future national team players.
“This event is not only about winning medals but also about building connections, inspiring our youth, and showing the world that Misamis Occidental and the Philippines can host tournaments of the highest caliber,” said Pichay.
“We are proud to welcome some of the strongest chess nations and showcase both the talent of our players and the hospitality of our people,” he added.
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