Five hundred Filipino woodpushers from all over the world are expected to vie for honors in the Baby Uno Chess Challenge dubbed as Grandmaster Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. online chess championship at the lichess.org.
The “free registration” online tournament will be a 21-round Swiss System, two minutes plus two seconds increment time control format, open to all Filipino chess players here and abroad according to Bayanihan Chess Club founder Arena Grandmaster Marlon Bernardino.
The total cash prize for the event held as part of the 79th birthday celebration of the late Grandmaster Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. on September 10 is P35,000.
Organized by Bayanihan Chess Club, the event, hosted by Bethesda, Maryland USA based frontliner Dr.Joe Balinas in close cooperation with engineer Antonio Carreon Balinas and Mr. Fernan Donguines of Hybreed Apparel Collections, offers a whopping top purse of P10,000 to the champion.
“We are glad to see chess players playing online chess tournament at home during this pandemic,” said Bethesda, Maryland, USA based frontliner Dr.Joe Balinas.
“ Staying at home is the best way to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease,” he added.
Seeing action this weekend are Grandmasters (GM) Mark Paragua, Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. and Darwin Laylo and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna as well International Masters (IM) Kim Steven Yap, Ricardo de Guzman, Angelo Young, Chito Garma, Petronio Roca, Barlo Nadera, Joel Pimentel and Ronald Dableo, Woman International Masters (WIM) Bernadette Galas,Marie Antoinette San Diego and Kylene Joy Mordido.
Others include Fide Masters (FM) Sander Severino, Jesse Noel Sales, Jony Habla, Narquingden Reyes, Alekhine Nouri, Austin Jacob Literatus, Randy Segarra, Deniel Causo and David Elorta, Woman Fide Masters (WFM) Cherry Ann Mejia, Samantha Glo Revita and Allaney Jia Doroy.
Also set to fight for their place are International Master elect Michael Concio, Dale Bernardo and Eric Labog Jr., Fide Master elect Christian Mark Daluz and Woman Fide Master elect Antonella Berthe Murillo Racasa.
Also playing are National Masters (NM) Julius Sinangote, Jonathan Tan, Giovanni Mejia, Noel dela Cruz, Bob Jones Liwagon, Eden Diano, Rommel Ganzon, Edsel Montoya, Alfred Acaling III, Ronald Llavanes, Leon Marohom, Roland Joseph Perez, Jasper Rom, Elwin Retanal, Darry Bernardo, Robert Arellano, Gerry Cabellon and Homer Cunanan.
Dr. Fred Paez and engr. Joseph Galindo lead the long list of Arena Grandmasters (AGM) who will try to defend their pride that includes Voltaire Marc Paraguya, Glenn Lemen, Henry Roger Lopez, Gavin Ong, Irwin Aton, Rudy Ibanez, Jimzon Trangia, Wilhelm Joey Ardiente, Hermie Cagatin, Emmanuel Asi and Alvin Alcala.
Not to be outdone are United States chess masters Conrado Diaz, Jojo Aquino and Dwight Dans, Canadian master Zulfikar Sali, heavyweight Sherwin Tiu, Kevin Arquero, Dr. Jenny Mayor, businessman Joselito Dormitorio, engr. Joel Hicap, Atty. Joe Aspiras, Atty. Jong Guevarra, Atty. Melzar Galicia and Atty. Cliburn Anthony Orbe.