The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
ASIA’s first GM Eugene Torre returns to his place of birth as One Chess Movement and the Iloilo City government celebrate his 75th birthday with the staging of the Chess Legend: GM Torre National Rapid Open and Team Tatluhan Chess Championships on Nov. 4-8 in Iloilo City.
Torre, who made history by becoming Asia’s first grandmaster in the 21st Chess Olympiad in Nice, France in 1974, will share special moments with One Chess Movement president Dr. Ariel Potot and Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Trenas and friends and supporters during the five-day celebration honoring the city’s biggest sports hero.
Highlights of the celebration are the launching of the GM Torre Legacy Exhibition and Commemorative Coffee Table book tracing Torre’s meteoric rise as chess champion, snd the two-day Rapid Open Championships and Team Tatluhan offering a total prize fund of P500,000.
“This is easily one, if not the most prestigious, chess events in the country this year. The OCM is proud to lead this initiative to honor the legacy of GM Torre right in his birth place in Iloilo City,” said Potot.
Potot said the support of Mayor Trenas and the people of Iloilo, the “City of Love” , make the once-in-a-lifetime event possible.
At stake in the Rapid Open tournament scheduled Nov. 5-6 are cash prizes, with the champion bringing home the lion’s share of P50,000.
The runner-up will earn P25,000, the third placer will pocket P15,000, the fourth placer P10,000 and the fifth placer P8,000.
Cash prizes will also be given to the sixth up to the 20th placers.
The top individual performers in the Senior, Junior, Lady and Kiddies categories will also get cash prizes, as well as the top three players from host Iloilo.
In the Team Tatluahn set Nov. 7-8, the champion will pocket the top prize of P100,00.
The runner-up will get P50,000, the third placer P30,000, the fourth placer P20,000 and he fifth placer P15,000.
The sixth up to the 15th placers will also bring home cash prizes.