China is the defending champion in the Asian Universities Chess Championship scheduled May 26 to June 2 this year at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City.

The Chinese Chess Association confirmed their participation with men’s and women’s teams even as local teams from the NCAA, UAAP and SCUAA were preparing for the challenge.

Gunadarma University of Jakarta is also favored, representing Indonesia with coach GM Susanto Megaranto.

The Osmania University of Hyderabad, India will be represented by men’s and women’s teams.

The Majlis Sukan Universiti Malaysia is fielding men’s and women’s team as well.

Other participating foreign Universities are the University of Tsukuba of Japan, and the Pakistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore.

In the previous Asian Universities Chess Championship held 2015 in Beijing, China, the Chinese teams won in both the men’s and women’s divisions although GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia won the individual championship.

The tournament will be a 9-round Swiss System. The total score of the top three players of a team will determine the team champion. There will be Men’s, Women’s and Junior divisions for both individual and team competitions. Players should be aged 27 and under (born on or after 1st January 1991). Junior players should be aged 18 and under (born on or after 1st January 2000).

The tournament is organized by the City of Tagaytay under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. Interested teams may inquire with NCFP Secretariat c/o Pat Lee at tel  09955421266 or visit the World Chess Federation web site at www.fide.com/calendar to download regulations.-Marlon Bernardino-