MORE than 40 teams are seeing action in the 2nd Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Championship starting today at SM in General Santos City.
According to event organizer and Grandmaster Eugene Torre, 42 teams have registered as of yesterday afternoon, with a lot more signifying their interest to join the P1.5 million innovative event sponsored by boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.
Each team will be composed of four players and one alternate. Only one GM or International Master is allowed per team, which will be vying for the top purse of P400,000. The second placer gets P220,000 while the third placer receives P130,000.
Pacquiao, an avid chess player himself, will do the ceremonial moves.
Torre, along with co-organizer, National Master Roel Abelgas said they expect more than 500 players to join the individual competition on Dec. 16.
While Torre opted not to compete in both events, some of the country’s top players like GMs Darwin Laylo, Joey Antonio, Mark Paragua and Jayson Gonzales are already in GenSan.
The individual champion will take home P50,000, while the second and third placers will pocket P30,000 and P20,000 respectively.
Also entered are IMs Ronald Dableo and Rolando Nolte and WIM Janelle Mae Frayna.
“Many more are arriving in time for tomorrow’s matches,” assured Torre, Asia’s first GM. “They know it’s a wide open battle for the prizes as it’s a novel event.
Random chess, also known as Chess 960 because of the 960 possible openings, is a brainchild of the late American GM Bobby Fischer, who conceptualized it in 1993 it while traveling in Hungary with close friend Torre, head of the MP Chess Organization which is running the nine-round event, part of Pacquiao’s 37th birthday celebration on Dec. 17.