FILIPINO PAWNPUSHERS EYE TOP 20 FINISH IN WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Aug 2012
MANILA, Philippines---IMPROVING on their finishes two years ago will be the target of the men?s and women?s teams when they seeing into action in the 40th World Chess Olympiad scheduled August 27 to September 10 at the Istanbul Expo Center in the Turkish Capital.
This was bared by former Olympian and Head Coach Grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales during the send off party for the Philippine team on Sunday (August 5, 2012) at the Ma Mon Luk Restaurant in Quezon Avenue branch, Quezon City hosted by sportsman Daniel "Daddy Boy" Francisco of Bangkal, Makati.
?We?ll be aiming for a to 20 finish, but if given a chance try to be in the top 10 again, we?ll grab it? said Asia's First Grandmaster Eugene Torre, referring his 21st Olympiad chess appearance who gets the chance to set a new record in this month?s Chess Olympiad for the most number of stints.
"We are confident that we can perform well in this biennial chess olympiad tournament," said GM Jayson Gonzales, also Executive Director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by it's Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. and Secretary-General Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr.
GM Gonzales, member of the Philippine Team during the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Spain in 2004 with a strong 12th place finish for the Philippine men's team.
?I like our chances in this Olympiad,? said Tagaytay City Mayor and NCFP Secretary-General Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. who openly predicted that the Filipinos will improve their 50th-place finish in the 39th World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk , Russia in 2010.
Board One in the men?s team will be manned by Filipino youngest GM Wesley So, only 18 who has an ELO rating 2652, Board Two by Oliver Barbosa (2554), Board Three by Eugene Torre (2469) and Board Four by Mark Paragua (2508), the reigning National Open champion who had just topped the recent ?Battler of Grandmaster.? Alternate is GM candidate and International Master Oliver Dimakiling (2428).
GM Gonzales, who will be coaching both the men?s and the men?s sides, also said that the Filipina woodpushers are, likewise, capable of a higher finish than the 44th wind up, also two years ago.
The women?s squad is made up of veteran campaigners WIM Catherine Perena, WFM Rulp Ylem Jose, WNMs Janelle Mae Frayna, Jedara Docena and Jan Jodilyn Fronda.
The Filipino chessers are currently ranked 31st in the world on the strength of their strong showing in the international field under the leadership of Pichay and Tolentino. The most recent of which are the twin triumphs of So in the Montreal Open and Toronto Open.
The Filipinas, on the other hand are ranked 52nd in the World.
The Philippine Team Istanbul campaign backed up by the Philippine Sports Commision (PSC) headed by it's Chairman Ricardo "Richie" Garcia and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) led by it's President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr.
Photo: The 2012 World Chess Olympiad scheduled August 27 to September 10 at the Istanbul Expo Center in the Turkish Capital. From left, are NCFP Executive Director Grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales, GM Mark Paragua, GM Wesley So, 10-year-old whiz kid Memory champ Jamyla Lambunao, Filipino and United States chess master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., sportsman Daniel "Daddy Boy" Francisco, NCFP Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Asia's First GM Eugene Torre and GM candidate-International Master (IM) Oliver Dimakiling.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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