THE Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), the country’s first and only professional chess league, is making another first in local chess this month.

PCAP is teaming up with the Pasig City government, headed by Mayor Vico Sotto, to organize the first PCAP Chess Festival 2022 at the Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons Pasig City on Sept.23-25.

PCAP founding president Atty. Paul Elauria said the three-day chess festival hosted by Mayor Sotto and the newly-crowned PCAP GM Wesley So Cup champion Pasig Pirates will also serve as part of the opening weekend of the PCAP Third Conference.

“The three-day chess festival will be another first for PCAP,”said Atty. Elauria, who is expected to personally grace the event, together with PCAP Chairman Michael Angelo Chua and other PCAP officials.

“We would like to thank Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and the Pasig Pirates for hosting this three-day chess festival,” said Arty. Elauria, adding this will also mark the first over-the-board competition of PCAP since its inception in late 2020.

Online chess competitions will resume the following playing day, however.

Highlights of the festival are the opening and awarding ceremonies of PCAP, chess lessons and simul games, official PCAP matches and raffles to all the participants.

This will be the sixth conference of PCAP.

So far, PCAP has already produced four champions: Laguna Heroes (2021 All-Filipino), Iloilo Kisela Knights 2021 Wesley So Cup), and San Juan Predators (2021 Third Conference).

San Juan became the league’s first back-to-back champion after topping the 2022 All-Filipino against Iloilo.

Last July, Pasig became the fourth team to win the championship by ruling the 2022 GM Wesley So Cup against former winner Iloilo.

Currently, PCAP has 24 member-teams divided into two divisions, the Northern Division and Southern Division.

Northern Division teams are San Juan Predators, Laguna Heroes, Pasig Pirates, Caloocan Load Manna Knights, Manila Indios Bravos, Rizal BATCH Towers, Quezon City SImba’s Tribe, Cavite Spartans, Olongapo Rainbow Seven, Mindoro Tamaraws, Cagayan Kings and Isabela Knights of Alexander.

In Southern Division are Iloilo Kisela Knights, Davao Eagles, Negros Kingsmen, Camarines Soaring Eagles, Palawan Queen’s Gambits, Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, Toledo City Trojans, Cabu City Machers, Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga Sultans, PCL and Tacloban Vikings.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) and supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).