27 titled players to join Touchmove chess tilt

By Eduard Basilonia

ROXAS CITY — The upcoming Touchmove Invitational Open Rapid Chess Tournament has grown into a national event in the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 24 at the atrium of SM City Mall here.

The tournament will feature 27 titled players, with 13 masters from Luzon, 13 from the Visayas, and one from Mindanao.

Arena FIDE Master Andrei Ainsley Dolorosa of Davao City has withdrawn due to a significant commitment, prompting organizers to replace him with a player from the waiting list.

The competition will use a time control of 15 minutes per player with a three-second increment, following a seven-round Swiss system format.

According to tournament secretariat Smillyn Acuyong, the field includes 19 players from Luzon, 107 from the Visayas, and two from Mindanao, for a total of 128 registered participants.