The eight-leg circuit will hop to key cities in the provinces - from up north in Tuguegarao and down south in Zamboanga, now back as one of the venues in Pilipinas Shell's effort to reach out to areas where chess has a big following. Registration is ongoing with fee pegged at P50 with the sponsoring Pilipinas Shell expecting a record field in the country's biggest talent-search from both the chess-playing students and out-of-school youths. It features two divisions -- the juniors, exclusively for players 20-years-old and below (born not later than 1986), and the kiddies, for players 14-years-old and below (born not later than 1992). Baguio will host the second leg on July 8-9 at SM City Baguio before Tuguegarao takes its turn on July 22-23 at the People's Gymnasium in Tuguegarao City for the Northern Luzon legs while the Southern Luzon stage (Batangas) will be played Aug. 5-6 at SM City Batangas. Action in the event, backed by Shell Better Mileage Gasolines: Super Premium, Super Unleaded, Velocity; Shell Diesoline Ultra, Shellane, McDonalds and Cebu Pacific, resumes on Aug. 19-20 (SM City Cebu) in Cebu City and on Sept. 2-3 (SM City Iloilo) in Iloilo for the Visayas legs before the event winds up with the Mindanao legs on Sept. 16-17 (SM City Davao) in Davao City and on Sept. 30-Oct. 1 (Ateneo de Zamboanga University Gymnasium) in Zamboanga. The eight-leg circuit, held in cooperation with SM Supermalls sanctioned by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), will culminate in the grand finals on Oct. 21-22 at SM City North Edsa Quezon City with the champion in the juniors division receiving P30,000 and the kiddie champion getting P20,000. Leg winners in the junior and kiddies categories will also bring home P5,000 and P4,000, respectively. For details, please contact the following coordinators: Alex Dinoy at 744-1664 or 0916-5146384 or the local coordinators Briccio Domondon (074 446-9103-Baguio); Mariano Cabugos (078 844-2894-Tuguegarao); Joselito Castro (043 723-2568/723-4246-Batangas); NM Ben Macapaz (032 344-3748-Cebu); NM Cesar Mariano (033 336-6205/0919-2833826 / 0919-4720513 -Iloilo); NA Ronnie Tabudlong (082 300-4260-Davao); Engr. Carlos Florendo (0920 627-9784-Zamboanga). Registration forms are also available at all Shellane showrooms nationwide and at selected Shell depots/installations, service stations (Davao City only) and local offices. The event, which has produced chess champions like GMs Mark Paragua and Nelson Mariano II and 12-year-old Wesley So, the youngest Filipino to play in the Olympiad, is the only chess tournament that is truly national in scope and it has been the most anticipated annual series among the youth, particularly this Olympiad year. Representation in the grand finals per category will be composed of the top three placers each from the NCR, Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao stages. Under the format, leg competitions for both the juniors and kiddies divisions will be a 7-round Swiss system while play in the grand finals will use a 9-round Swiss system.
| 
