Battle of Grandmasters, cancelled

Over a week ago, a friend of ChessHeroes blog hinted to us that the Battle of Grandmaster which is scheduled to begin this day, March 23 is in serious position of getting cancelled due to some "unclear" problems. I say, to those who are following CH for sometime, this will explain why we didn't give an update or any news regarding the Battle of Grandmasters a week and days before the supposed actual date of the tournament. We opted to do so, not until we received final confirmation from any reliable source that the cancellation was really true. As everybody may know by now, the Battle of GMs was consequently canceled due to nonavailability of the venue, the City State Tower Hotel in Mabini, Ermita, Manila. It will be re-schedule sometime in May and let us cross our fingers that the event, the "Linares" of Philippine chess will take place just around the Metro Manila area.

BATTLE OF THE GRANDMASTERS CANCELLED---ABALOS

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

THE Battle of the Grandmasters which is supposed to be held today, Tuesday, March 23 at the City State Tower Hotel in Mabini, Ermita, Manila has been cancelled.

“Battle of GMs still no available venue,” NCFP events manager/ executive director Wilfredo “Willie” Abalos told this writer yesterday.

“Chairman (Butch) Pichay postponed this event and wait for the announcement for the exact final date. Maybe in May after Asian Continental in Subic,” added Abalos.

Super Grandmaster Wesley Barbasa So is the reigning two-time Battle of the Grandmasters champion.