Up to 350 chess players jammed the AYA Hotel and Residences in Clarin, Misamis Occidental, on Saturday morning, July 8, to hear World Chess Hall of Famer and Asia's first Grandmaster Torre deliver this motivational speech as the tournament's opening address.
The 75th Charter Day of Ozamiz City's largest sporting event, the two-day Asenso Misamis Occidental National Open Chess Tournament, brought back memories of the legendary Torre, who was treated like a "rock star" by the region's chess lovers.
Torre began by encouraging the participants to always place their focus on the so-called "three Kings" in the life of a chess player, such as the mental king, physical king, and spiritual king while rocking the sixth floor of the recently opened eight-story AYA Tower with his singing of a chess-related anthem.
In his closing statement, Torre thanked Congressman Sancho Fernando F. Oaminal, Mayor Henry F. Oaminal, Jr., and fellow lawyer son Henry S. Oaminal Sr., for supporting the cash-rich chessfest through their dependable organizer, Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo. (Romeo Braceros Jr.)
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