Cebu aims for 2nd Guinness record

Guinness World Records is a reference book that is published annually, and contains an internationally recognized collection of world records, most of it in human achievements . The book itself holds a world record, as the best-selling copyrighted series of all time

Edward Hayco of the Cebu City Sports Commission, never ceases to amaze me as he is after a second Guinness record attempt.

Last June 27, 2010 Guinness confirmed and authenticated that 7,770 people converged at the Cebu City Sports Center for a dancesport class. The previous record of 2,289 was held by the city of Budapest in Hungary.

This time, Edward and his group are aiming at chess.

As mentioned in a previous article, there are several records in chess, most of it inconsequential and negligible like longest or shortest games, most consecutive wins etc.

The Cebu City Sports Commission and Department of Education Cebu City Division will attempt to break the Guinness World Record of the “World’s Largest Chess (Board Game) Tournament”. The current record holder is Krasnoyarsk, Russia with 1,214 participants.

The program began with a chess coaching and officiating seminar last July 13, 2011, followed by a series of school-based and city-wide Simultaneous Chess Tournaments. 20,000-30,000 players are targeted to participate .

Championships (Finals) will be on October 8, 2011, Saturday at the Cebu City Sports Center. Be a part of history by participating!
Take note that on October 21, 2006, a gigantic multi-simul was organized in El Zócalo, Mexico City. About 600 masters played against 20 to 25 opponents each. The total number of players was 13,446.The tables were arranged in squares of different colors, each containing seven simuls. Guiness acknowledged the event as the largest one held in a single day.
Armenia is considered the “brightest nation” on Earth . It is a tiny country ,formerly a part of the Soviet Union,of around three million who has won consecutive Olympiads in 2006 and 2008.
Last month it won the 2011 World Chess Team Championship in China solidifying its internationally-recognized status as a chess powerhouse.
The Armenian team led by Levon Aronian, the world’s third-highest-ranked chess player, dominated throughout the 12-day tournament, winning five games and drawing the four others. It sealed the title with a draw against Ukraine in the final round.
In so doing, it has triumphed over giants like Russia, China,India and the US.
Chess is pursued fanatically in Armenia, where its over-the-board stars are national celebrities and chess is taught in schools.
Chess has been one of Armenia’s most popular sports ever since Tigran Petrosian, a Tbilisi-born Armenian, became a world champion in 1963. The country currently boasts the largest per-capita numbers of chess grandmasters in the world.
Two of its three post-Soviet presidents are keen chess players who have promoted the game while in office. The current president, Serge Sargisian, heads the Armenian Chess Federation. He personally supported the national team during its Olympic triumphs.
I personally do not know if Pnoy plays chess but his mother, the late President Cory Aquino, was a chess player and one of those mainly responsible for the Chess Olympiad held in Manila in 1992. Players and officials considered the Olympiad as the best ever.
Last week I wrote about Chess in Schools. How about it sir Pnoy?
This nation can be great not by being employed in other countries but by being employers. Chess can help improve the children become good and productive citizens.
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