Perfect Scores, Promising Start
OZAMIZ CITY - Both Misamis Occidental squads delivered a clean opening-round performance, each posting a 4.0 score in their campaign for Team Philippines. The result gives the players an encouraging beginning as they take on one of chess’s biggest international stages. The Philippine News Agency reported that the country’s men’s and women’s teams won their opening-round matches at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 16. For the Misamis Occidental contingent, the moment carries an added sense of pride because the province has spent years expanding opportunities for players, competitions, and chess development across its communities.
From Familiar Finishes to a Championship Run
The team’s current momentum also reflects how dramatically chess has developed in Misamis Occidental. According to the supplied account, the province had previously been a regular 10th-place finisher among Northern Mindanao’s 16 teams before eventually capturing its first championship in 63 years. That transformation has been accompanied by continued investment in chess activities in Ozamiz and throughout the province. In June 2026, PhilBoxing reported that the sixth Governor Henry S. Oaminal Chess Festival would bring individual and team competitions to Ozamiz City, with leading Filipino players and grandmasters participating. Such events give homegrown players opportunities to compete, learn, and sharpen their game.
Carrying MisOcc Pride Beyond the Board
During the team huddle, Asenso Misamis Occidental Chess Association president AGM Rey Cris Urbiztondo shared Governor Henry S. Oaminal’s message of encouragement with the delegation. The message called on the players to embrace the rounds ahead and showcase Filipino talent on the international stage. That support comes as Misamis Occidental prepares to host two major international chess competitions in November 2026, further strengthening the province’s connection to the sport. For the players representing Team Philippines, every move now adds to a larger story—one in which a province once known for modest chess finishes is producing athletes capable of competing with confidence on the world stage.
