Lumin-Awa Chess Tournament: Bacuyag wins open category; Tumbali triumphs in kids category

Tabuk City, Kalinga – As part of the month-long celebration of the 7th Bodong Festival and the 31st Founding Anniversary of Kalinga, the Kalinga Mind Warriors Chess Club Association (KMWCCA), in partnership with the Provincial Government of Kalinga and Open Heaven Credit Cooperative, conducted the Lumin-Awa Chess Tournament on February 7 at the Kalinga Children’s Ward Conference Hall in Bulanao.

The tournament drew chess enthusiasts from across the province, including guest players from Apayao, Isabela, and Cagayan—creating an inclusive environment where both youth and senior players sharpened their skills, tested strategies, and engaged in friendly competition.

The event featured two divisions: the Open Category, with a P3,000 cash prize for the champion, and the Kids’ Category, offering P2,000 for the winner. In addition to cash prizes, winners also received trophies, medals, and certificates.

According to KMWCCA founder Deborah Bulawit, the tournament aims to train and equip local chess players, giving them opportunities to compete in higher-level competitions as representatives of the province.

“…to train and equip chess players in the province—tapnu makasabay tayo met dagiti dadduma nga probinsya nga napigsa met iti chess. Ma-train tayo kuma dagiti ubbing tapnu adda met chance da nga sumabak iti higher-level tournaments as representatives ti province tayo,” she said.

In the Open Category, Genesis Bacuyag clinched the championship, followed by Alfred Budaden II, Heritage Loyosen, and Rocky Delos Santos. In the Kids’ Category, Mac Arden Tumbali emerged as champion, followed by Nicolas Balais, Quirubin Paclay, and John Kristol Sumalag.

The Lumin-Awa Chess Tournament not only complemented the province’s cultural celebrations but also underscored Kalinga’s commitment to nurturing talent across generations by providing a platform for players to compete, learn, and grow.