Some of the world’s biggest names in chess start arriving Monday in preparation for two international tournaments in the next two weeks at Subic Peninsula Hotel at Subic Freeport in Zambales.
The Philippine International Chess Championship gets going Monday until Nov. 14, to be followed by the Philippine Sports Commission-Puregold Chess Challenge on Nov. 16 to 21.
In all, 19 foreigners—six from Russia, two from China, five from India, two from Ukraine, and one each from Armenia, Vietnam, Denmark and Indonesia— are seeing action in the twin events.
All six Russians, led by top seed GM Vladimir Belous, are grandmasters.
The other Russians are Mikhail Mozharov, Smirnov Pavel, Shomoev Anton, Boris Savchenko and Anton Demchenko.
Ukraine also has two strong players in GM Alexander Zubov and GM Syvuk Vitali while China is represented by GM Lu Shanglei and IM Lin Chen.
Heading the local challenge are GM Richard Bitoon, Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and GM Oliver Barbosa.
The women’s side will be bannered by WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIM Catherine Pereña-Secopito, among others.
Frayna is chasing her third GM norm.