THE country’s leading players, led by GMs Wesley So. Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo, will grace the formal opening of the   2050-below non-master   rapid chess tournament  scheduled   Feb. 5   at 96  M.A. Roxas St. corner H. Roxas   St., San Roque, Marikina City.

The three top players will interact with young participant sof the special one-day tournament starting at11 a.m.

“I’m  really  looking  forward to  this opportunity to greet and meet   young and aspiring ches players because they are the future of Philippine  chess,” said  So,  who earned his  GM  title at age 14.

So, will join Paragua and  Laylo   in  posing with   players and guests during the tournament.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president  Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.  has also been invited as keynote speaker.

Registration starts at  8 a.m., while  the  first  round of the seven-round  Swiss system tournament starts  promptly at 11:30 a.m.

Members of  different   chess clubs and students from the elementary, high  school and colleges  are invited to join the NCFP-sanctioned tournament, which accepts all unrated players and those  rated 2050-below.

The tournament offers  P5,000 to the champion,  P4,000 to the runner-up, P3,000 to the third placer, P2,000 to the  fourth placer and P1,000 for the fifth placer. The sixth up  to the 15th placers will receive P500 each.

Category winners in the kiddies, 14 years old and below and 12 years old and below, juniors, 16 years old and below will receive P600 each while top three Marikina  player will receive P500 each.

For more details, contact, CAAP  arbiter Ferdie Bonifacio at 0916-154-7267.