ENGLAND’S GM Nigel Short (2688) will lead foreign-based grandmasters (GM) in the 2017 Negros International Open Chess Championship on October 11-19 in Bacolod City.
It is the first time that foreign players will flock to the City of Smiles for this Fide-sanctioned international chess tournament.
The 52-year-old Short was once ranked No.3 in the world by Fide and became the first English player to join the World Chess Championship in 1993.
Currently, ranked No. 55 and the oldest player in Fide’s Top 100, Short carries a very impressive record in international chess tournaments, including his second place finish behind Russian GM Garry Kasparov in 1980.
In 1984, he was awarded the grandmaster title at 19, becoming the youngest GM in the world at that time.
Also seeing action next month are Vietnam GMs Tuan Minh Tran (2547) and Duc Hua Nguyen (2499), and International Master Minh Thang Tran (2352), and Indian GM Srinath Narayanan (2511).
Filipino GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. (2438) and Darwin Laylo (2421) lead the long list of top Pinoy woodpushers who will try to defend the Filipino pride.
Others are IM Oliver Dimakiling, IM Haridas Pascua, IM Kim Steven Yap, IM Ronald Dableo, IM Rolando Nolte, IM Roderick Nava, IM Chito Garma, IM Ronald Bancod, IM Richelieu Salcedo, and Bacolod City-born IM Joel Pimentel Jr.
Also set to fight for their place are women’s IM Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Marie Antoinette together with Fide Master Sander Severino of Silay City and FM Nelson Villanueva of La Carlota City.
Also playing are FM Narquingden Reyes, FM Mari Joseph Turqueza, and FM Roel Abelgas and confirmed Filipino national masters and top Negrense woodpushers.
This international event bankrolled by Piaya Network Broadcasting Corporation is in partnership with A&V Negros Chess Club Inc. (HGD)