HERE’S good news to students and alumni of Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. High School.
Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre is coming.
Torre will hold simultaneous exhibition games against select students and alumni on Feb. 22 as part of the school’s 66th anniversary celebrations.
A project of the ERJHS Alumni Sports Club, the two-part activity will kick off with a two-hour chess clinic presented by the One Meralco Foundation under president Jeff Tarayao.
Meralco Chess Club consultant Rolly Sol Cruz will conduct the chess clinic.
“This is a good opportunity for our student-players to meet, greet and even play a game against Torre, who is the country’s most recognizable player for more than four decades now,” said ERJHS ASC president Ed Andaya of Batch 81.
“On behalf of the ERJHS, the ASC would like to thank Torre, One Meralco Foundation and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines for accepting our invitation to share their knowledge in chess.”
Meralco will also turn over chess sets to the school.
Also invited to attend the event are ERJHS school principal Dr. Florito Gerena, and ASC officers Rene Baena, Zeny Castor, Reuel Vidal, Oliric Lacsamana, Jane Jimenez, Bess Maghirang, Ramon Ypil, Albert Andaya, Roland Doncillo, Michael de Castro, Richard Nell and Roy Madayag.
Torre made history by becoming Asia’s first GM during the World Chess Olympiad in Nice, France, in 1974.
He also holds the record for most consecutive appearance in the World Olympiad.