INQUIRER Sports

The second Philippine Open International Chess Championships, the first of a two-part chess extravaganza hosted by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) this month, finally comes off the wraps on Wednesday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic.

The event, which offers $40,000, will run from May 7-14.

Newly-crowned ?Battle of GMs? champion Wesley So opens his campaign for a fourth straight title when he takes on a host of equally-talented foreign and local players seeing action in the 11-round tournament sanctioned by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

The champion will bring home $6,000 and an elegant trophy donated by NCFP president Prospero ?Butch? Pichay, while the runner-up and the third placer will receive $5,00 and $4,000, respectively. Cash prizes will also go up to the 32nd placers.

Leading the foreign pack are Grandmasters (GMs) Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (ELO 2604) and Mahjoob Morteza (ELO 2488) of Iran, GM Li Chao (ELO 2581) of China, GMs Le Quang Liem (ELO 2568), Nguyen Anh Dung (ELO 2512) and Dao Thien Hai (ELO 2502O of Vietnam, GM Susanto Megaranto (EWLO 2561) of Indonesia and GM Zaw Win Lay (ELO 2574) of Myanmar.

The local challenge will also be spearheaded by GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor and International Masters (IMs) Julio Catalino Sadorra, Richard Bitoon, Barlo Nadera, Ronald Bancod, Chito Garma, and John Paul Gomez.

Notably absent in the early list of participants are Asia's first GM Eugene Torre and Jayson Gonzales, who decided to skip the tournament following a tiring campaign in the ?Battle of GMs.?

Both Torre and Gonzales, however, have assured the NCFP that they will take part in the third Philippine Open.

?This will be the biggest single month in local chess, with no less than 30 foreign GMs and IMs from all over the world seeing action in the twin tournaments,? said Pichay, who is leaving to stone unturned to ensure the success of the event.

After the tournament, the third Philippine Open will begin on May 16 with more foreign players expected to come. At stake in the third Philippine Open is $30,000, with the champion pocketing $5,000.