Good news

BY: BOBBY ANG

(Abridged version of Chess Piece as published in BusinessWorld, February 19, 2010)

THERE IS a bit of good news on the local Philippine Chess scene.

The National Book Store is putting together a series of chess tournaments aimed at kiddies (two categories: 15-under and 11-under) to be held at the Robinsons Galleria Activity Center starting in March. National Book Store wants to use chess as a marketing tool for itself (makes sense, chess and books have an intellectual bent) by sponsoring a series of large (200 participants) tournaments every six months, then between those tournaments a smaller tournament every month (about 40 participants). The idea is to attract and encourage our younger players and give them a venue to learn chess and to develop their skills.

The first tournament is scheduled for March 6 and the subsequent tournaments will be held on the first Saturday of every month, except for April because the first Saturday is Black Saturday. The tournament will instead be held on the following week. The smaller tournaments will be held at Galleria’s Jumpstreet on the third floor.

The tournament is open to all non-titled players 15 years old or below. For all purposes in this tournament, age will be determined by the age of the player on the date of the tournament.
The tournament is a five-round Swiss System event, with a time control of game in 30 minutes.

The organizer of this series of events is John Sy, a former faculty member of Xavier School (Greenhills, San Juan) who is also the person behind the recent chess competitions in that school. During the 1970s, Xavier School (by the way, haven’t I ever mentioned that it’s my alma mater?) dominated chess in San Juan. There is Dr. Alexander Reyes, now a famous hand surgeon, doctors Jimmy and George Soo, Lawrence Loh and Benito Sy (who was also my teammate in the school’s type-writing team, which also won quite a lot of trophies in national competitions). Non-doctors are Edward Yap, Ronald Ko (now sadly deceased), Vicente Tiu (Alps Water), John Ang (a genius who I have lost track of -- his brother Jesse, though, is in the World Bank), and Eric Bautista (I think he is into toys). A lot of super-brains put together! Hope I haven’t forgotten anybody.

With dynamic organizers like Mr. Sy in action now, maybe Xavier School chess can once again be our pride and glory. John’s e-mail address is jsy0126@pldtdsl.net -- please feel free to e-mail him your questions.