MIND PLAY. Grandmasters Eugene Torre (seated, right) and Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. shake hands during the Philippine Technological Council World Engineering Day at Koten Enterprise in Pasay City on March 24, 2024. Torre, Asia's first Grandmaster, will lead a simultaneous exhibition in Tarlac on April 9. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Asia's first Grandmaster and World Chess Hall of Famer Eugene Torre will be playing in a simultaneous exhibition with young enthusiasts during the celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) in Luisita, Tarlac City on April 9.
Torre, 72, has been gracing simultaneous and rapid chess tournaments nationwide in order to encourage more chess participation, especially among the youth.
He hasn’t lost his touch either, ruling the Guam International Open Chess Tournament in August last year.
He won all his nine games in the standard tournament organized by the Guam Chess Federation and sanctioned by FIDE, the international chess federation.
The Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE) Tarlac chapter, led by president Jhude Estrada and past president Analyn Fernandez, is organizing the exhibition and mini tournament to promote chess as avenue to foster camaraderie.
NM Marlon Bernardino (Bayanihan Chess Club), 2021 IIEE national president Allan Anthony Alvarez (IIEE Chessmasters Club), Henry Calacday (Tarlac City Chess Club) and Alfred Miranda (Panique Tarlac Chess Club) will also share their expertise in the event.
Proceeds of the tournament will go to the IIEE Oplan Dagitab, which will conduct electrical safety inspection and turn over five solar street lights to the Maligaya Trinity Baptist Christian Academy and Dolores Elementary School in Tarlac City, and the San Bartolome Elementary School in Gerona town.
IIEE also staged simultaneous and mini-tournaments at Sentro Artista in Quezon City on Feb. 25 and with Kamatyas IM Roderick Nava at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City in December last year. (PNA)
