PACE

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

The formal inauguration of the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence (PACE) and induction ceremony of the Philippine Chess Knights League (PhilCheK) gets underway on March 27 at the 2/F, 56 Mindanao Ave., cor. Road 1, Project 6, Quezon City.

PACE is envisioned to become the first one-stop, fully-air-conditioned chess destination in the country comparable to the best chess clubs in American and Europe.

Aside from being a regular venue for regular chess classes for aspiring young players, the academy will also hold regular tournaments for both titled and untitled players

The academy will also house a modern library, which will offer wide-ranging books, internet services and other chess paraphernalia to regular members.

“We’re also planning to invite Russian and foreign chess instructors to conduct classes for our members,” said two-time Olympian GM Gonzales, who co-founded the academy with Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre.

“PACE will provide everything that the chess player needs, something which, unfortunately, we didn’t enjoy during our formative years in the sport,” added Gonzales.

“This is a chess player’s dream come true.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on March 27 will be attended by FIDE honorary president Florencio Campomanes, NCFP president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., PSC chairman Harry Angping, DepEd secretary Jesli Lapus, NCFP secretary-general Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and Ilocos Norte representative and senatorial candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

The officers of PhilCheK, headed by Pichay (chairman emeritus), Pimentel (president emeritus), Torre (chairman), Gonzales (founding president), and Boyet Tardecilla ( secretary-general) will also be inducted during the same occasion.

The other PhilCheK officers are Atty. Constantino Marcaida (executive director), Atty. Cris Aspiras (VP-Administration), Michael John Vargas (VP-External Affairs), Atty. Manuel Relorcasa (VP-Internal Affairs), Atty. Rommel Tacorda (VP-Special Projects), Oscar Gonzales (VP-Benefits Program), Jake Espinosa (VP-Organizational Development), Loren T abilog (VP-Marketing), Ed Madrid (VP-Media Affairs), Grace Navea-Huff (VP- International Affairs), Esther Valdez (VP-Finance and Publications), Niel Dumlao (treasurer), Dr. Gilbert Perez (auditor), Dr. Alfredo Paez (PRO), Dr. Jenny Mayor (AVP for Specia Projects) and Atty. Gene Turqueza and Atty. Vicente Acebeda (Legal Counsel).