Top Philippines chessers to challenge world No. 2 Nakamura

A SLEW of Filipino players have come out to challenge World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura when the American Grandmaster (GM) sees action in the inaugural WR Bughouse Championship scheduled on Monday and Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC, Taguig.

Filipino duos WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and Woman International Master (WIM) Ruelle Canino, GM Daniel Quizon and IM Eric Labog, GM Darwin Laylo and FM David Elorta, and IMs Jem Garcia and Paulo Bersamina have signed up as among the early registrants.

Mr. Nakamura, whose rating of 2792 is the planet’s second highest next only to former world champ Magnus Carlsen’s 2841.4, will pair with German Wadim Rosenstein, founder of the organizer WR Chess who put up a cash pot worth $100,000 or a cool P6.1 million.

Also wading into battle is another American, 23-year-old and World No. 33 Awonder Liang, who is expected to shoot for the top prize amounting to $50,000, or P3 million.

Bughouse, called transfer chess, enjoys several unique rules including giving the captured pieces to his or her teammate with each player given five minutes apiece to finish the game with no increments.

The runner-up of this meet, which will have a 12-round elimination format with the top eight advancing to the knockout playoffs, will pocket $20,000, the third $10,000 and fourth $6,000.

The fourth to eighth placers will receive $2,000 each while the ninth to 20^th $500 apiece in this event sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee. — Joey Villar