The World Chess Federation (FIDE), headed by president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov of Russia, has agreed to put up a whopping prize fund of US$ 1 million to bankroll the staging of the first-ever former FIDE head Florencio Campomanes Memorial Cup chess championships starting in Manila this coming August.
This was personally announced by Ilyumzhinov during the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chess Confederation (photo here) hosted by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay at the Subic Bay Freeport late last week.
Ilyumzhinov said a total of 10 tournaments with cash prizes of US$100,000 each are slated to be held over 10 years in the 10 ASEAN member-nations to perpetuate the memory of Campomanes, who passed away last month at the age of 83.
The 10-part tournament will formally kick off with the first event in Manila on Aug 28 - Sept 5 possibly at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, inside the vast Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Adriatico, Manila.
Pichay and Asian Chess Federation president Sheikh Sultan Bin Kalifah Al Nahyan lauded Ilyumzhinov for sponsoring the tournament in honor of Campomanes, who served as FIDE president from 1982 to 1995.
“The whole Asian region, especially the Filipinos, are very thankful for Ilyumzhinov for sponsoring these memorial tournaments in honor of Campomanes,” said Pichay during the meeting also attended by FIDE general secretary Ignatius Leung of Singapore and representatives of the 10 ASEAN member-countries.
For his part, NCFP secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the memorial tournaments will give the players the opportunity to honor Campomanes through their participation.
At stake in the tournament divided into three three categories are cash prizes amouting to US$70,000 in the Open division, US$20,000 in the women’s category and US$10,000 in the challenge section.
The champion in the Open category will bring home the lion’s prize of US$10,000.
The winners in the women’s division and challenge section will receive US$ 5,000 and US$3,000, respectively.
Although the memorial tournaments will be held in ASEAN countries only, Pichay said top players from Europe and other parts of the world are also expected to participate due to the cash prizes at stake.
Pichay has already instructed NCFP executive/events director Willie Abalos to coordinate with FIDE official Casto Abundo to oversee the preparations for theh said tournament.
