World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura will try to dazzle Filipino fans but in a different kind of chess as he spearheads a big cast of challengers in the inaugural WR Bughouse Championship at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC, Taguig on Monday, June 1.

The American super Grandmaster will partner with German Wadim Rosenstein, founder of the organizing WR chess, in the field that drew 52 teams of two, including 13 foreign entries.

“Good morning from Manila. Through chess I've been able to travel around the world, and this is now the 63rd unique country I've been to,” Nakamura posted in his social media.

Nakamura and Rosenstein arrived on Sunday, May 31, along with some foreign participants in time for the 12-round elimination that unfurls at 4 p.m.

Another notable star, World No. 34 GM Awonder Liang of the United States, is also seeing action with tandem Eilia Zomorrrodian of Canada as well as the pair of GMs Anton Smirnov of Australia and and Timur Gareyev of the US, and Indonesians Novendra Priasmoro and WGM Ardhiani Anastasia.

Leading the country’s charge in this event staking $100,000 (around P6.1 million) courtesy of Rosenstein are GM Daniel Quizon and International Master Eric Labog, GM Darwin Laylo and FIDE Master David Elorta, Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and WIM Ruelle Canino and IMs Pau Bersamina and Jem Garcia among others.

Nakamura, to accommodate fans, will have an autograph signing on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 10 a.m. before the official opening rites at 2 p.m. that will be attended by GM Eugene Torre, National Chess Federation of the Philippines’s president Butch Pichay and CEO GM Jayson Gonzales.

The runner-up of this meet, which will have a 12-round elimination format with the top eight advancing to the knockout playoffs, will pocket $20,000, the third $10,000 and fourth $6,000.

The fourth to eighth placers will receive $2,000 each while the ninth to 20th $500 apiece.

Bughouse, or transfer chess, employs the same chess moves except that the captured pieces will go to the teammate, who will then use it on the very next move with each player given five minutes each without increments.

The first to emerge victorious, whether via checkmate, resignation or time forfeiture, wins the match.

No automatic checkmate is allowed for the captured pieces while the event also implements a unique pawn promotion rule where the promoted piece will come from what are the available pieces on the opponent’s board.