It will be a busy November for Philippine chess as three international tournaments – two in Ozamiz and one in Quezon City – are lined up for that month with titles, norms and hefty cash prizes at stake.

The first one is the 7th ASEAN Individual Championships slated 2 to 10 November at the Asenso Misamis Occidental Recreational and Aquamarine Park where the Open and Women’s champions get a Grandmaster or Woman GM titles or norms and the second to third placers earn an International Master or WIM titles or norms.

The next is the Misamis Occidental Philippines International Championship scheduled from 10 to 17 November also at the AMORAP where super GMs not just in the region and Asia are expected to participate.

Misamis Occidental Gov. Henry S. Oaminal is hosting the two events while the NCFP, PSC and the ASEAN Chess Confederation and WR Chess had banded together in support of the three tourneys.

The finale is the AQ Prime International Open Championship set from 17 to 26 November at the MICE Center in Quezon City.

“It will be one month of pure chess where our very own players will have a chance to become a GM, an IM or a WGM or an WIM or norms with FIDE rating points,” said NCFP secretary-general and CEO GM Jayson Gonzales.

Last year, Ozamiz also hosted the ASEAN Individual tilt and helped Ruelle Canino and Mark Jay Bacojo seal a WIM and IM title for finishing second and third in their respective class.

The champion’s purse in the first tournament is $3,000 or P185,000 while $7,000 (P432,000) and $5,000 (P308,000) await the winner of second and third events, respectively.