GM WESLEY SO TO PLAY IN SEA GAMES
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 28 Sep 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- Filipino chess Grandmaster Wesley So will be carrying the country?s colors in the coming 27th Southeast Asian Games this December in Myanmar.
First Filipino and Asian GM Eugene Torre assured this Friday allaying fears that So, won?t be seeing action by way of protesting the shabby treatment accorded him to the Philippine sports leadership following his gold medal victory in the recent World University Games.
?Wesley will be playing in the SEA Games. He himself and his parents assured me that,? Torre said during Friday?s SCOOP Sa Kamayan session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padrfe Faura.
?He will definitely be spearheading in the seven events that we will be participating in the Standard Chess discipline,? Torre said. I had just talked with his parents (William and Eleanor) and it looked they understood what happened in the controversy that resulted in his representing the country in the Universiade.
?Why waste your no. 1 player and a winner of our first ever gold medal in the Olympics among the world?s best student athletes?? Torre asked.
?Wesley is currently in pursuit of a college degree in the U.S. but he will be either go direct to Myanmar or return first to the country, depending on what could be arranged,? Torre, once rated eighth in the world said of So, who will turn 20 on October 9, said.
So was even reported to be migrating to Canada after the Philippine Sports Commission denied him the financial incentives gold medalist in a world championship is entitled. He now owns an ELO rating OF 2627.
?Naipaliwanag na naman lahat kina Mister and Misis So ang naging problema at I believe tapos na yung isyu tungkol doon,? Torre said.
?Hindi naman yata sa pamilya nanggaling ang report na yun. Tsismis lang.?
The president of the newly-organized National Chess Federation, meanwhile, announced that besides the Standard events, the Philippines might also compete in the Fischer Random event (called chess 960) with probably himself and GM Joey Antonio as entries, among others.
?Medyo malaki-laki din ang chance natin sa event na ito. And also para ma-offset yung 18 events na nasa calendar ngayon ng chess,? he projected.
Torre said the men?s (7 players) and the women?s (3 players) chess teams for the SEA Games have already been formed but added he cannot divulge the names oif the members pending an appeal by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines for additional players.
To improve on their 2011 team?s 1-4-3 gold-silver-bronze performance, Torre said the 2013 squad will be vying for honors in tough tournaments as the Battle of the GMs, which starts today at the PSC canteen, the $100,000 Indonesian Open on Oct. 9-17 in Jakarta, the Asian Cities in Tagaytay on Oct. 19-27.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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