Negros Integrated Chess Association’s (Nica) 12-under Negros Kiddies Open Chess Tournament

By all indications, chess in the grassroots has seen its reinvigorated run nationwide.

The number of participants is growing, groups and institutions formed and coming in, prizes getting bigger, frequencies getting often - all signs of Philippine chess getting better.

Here's just another testament to that, this time from the southern part of the country:

(Source: Sunstar) "A TOTAL of 150 chess geniuses are expected to draw boards in the upcoming Negros Integrated Chess Association’s (Nica) 12-under Negros Kiddies Open Chess Tournament on February 27-28 at the Sea Breeze Hotel, Bacolod City.

"The tourney, dubbed “All Chess players are Artist but not All Artist are Chess Players,” aims to discover and develop new breed of woodpushers from Negros Occidental to spark in the future national and international competitions.

"At present, the province had produced seven national masters that include Rodrigo Atutubo, Allan Severino and Sander Severino (FIDI Master) from Silay City; Edwin Tan and Nouri Amid from Escalante City; Cadiz City’s Byet Lavega and Rodolfo Toledo from Bacolod City.

"Among the teams expected to join are the Bago City Chess Club of Ray Hofileña, Talisay Chess Club headed by Enrico Pueda, Escalante Chess Club of Blas Plaza, Negros Chess Society of Philip Caudilla, La Carlota Chess Club of Elmer Cordero, Silay Chess Club of Marvin Ting, Calatrava Chess Club headed by Danny Dato-on, Sum-ag Chess Club of Ted Ian Montoyo, La Castellana Chess Club of Dexter Belanio, Sagay Chess Club of Rito Penano, C.O.W. Chess Club headed by Tibor Espinosa and the Sugarlandia Chess Club of Renato Anoran.

"The tournament will be played in seven rounds Swiss system.

"Champion will receive P3,000 cash, a digital chess clock, glass trophy and a painting, while second runner-up will take home P2,000 cash, a digital chess clock, glass trophy and a painting.

"Third runner-up will have P1,000 cash, a digital chess clock, glass trophy and a painting, and the fourth runner-up will be awarded P500 cash, a mechanical chess clock, glass trophy and a painting.

"Aside from Nica, co-sponsoring the event are Sea Breeze Hotel, International Pharmaceutical Inc., Konsepto Multimedia, Colgate-Palmolive and Pwersa Pintura."