WITH five days to go, some of the country's top chess player's participation in the forthcoming 2007 Asian Continental Chess Championships is still not certain.
Hosted by Cebu City, headed by Gov. Gwen Garcia, also known as the Queen City of the South, the qualification event for the FIDE Cycle knock-out tournament gets going on September 19 at the Cebu International Convention Center.
Mark Paragua, the former first Filipino Super Grandmaster who possessed an Elo rating of 2525 who reached the 2600 Elo barrier in last year's World Chess Federation rating list is currently busy in campaigning in the US chess circuit.
The 22-year-old Paragua left the country last June aiming to increase his 2525 Elo rating to 2600, a feat he once held under his belt, is now based in New York City.
According to Paragua's camp, the 1998 World Rapid Under 14-champion is not sure of playing in the Cebu International Open which features some of the world's best players.
The amiable Paragua obtained a 10-year-multiple entry US visa from the US embassy in Manila.
"Wala pa siyang (Mark Paragua) confirmation. Kung ako lang masusunod ay gusto ko siya makasali" said father/coach/manager engineer Ricardo Paragua in a text message recently. "Baka di na makasali yun (Mark Paragua). Na kina Alan Salgado siya sa Atlantic City." Clarified by older Paragua.
Mark, the only Filipino chess master to win back-to-back qualifiers in the World Championships from Tripoli, Libya to Khanti Mansiyk, West Siberia, Russia.
In a recent report of Weekender headed by chess columnist Manny Benitez, he quoted Michael Atkins and said "Philippine GM Mark Paragua, who will probably compete more in the area now as he is a new member of the UBMC Chess Team, was the only Grandmaster this weekend,"
Other players not yet to confirmed to play in the Cebu International Open Chess are Eugene Torre, reigning national champion IM Ronald Bancod, NMs Rolando Nolte and Emmanuel Senador.
Torre, Asia's first grandmaster, the country's top rated GM who holds an Elo rating of 2539 is the only Filipino to reach the candidates matches in 1983, however lost to Hungrarian GM Zoltan Ribli in their quarter-finals clash. Torre, won the 1982 Inter Zonal in Toluca, Mexico to progress.
"Hindi pa tiyak kung makakasali si Eugene (Torre), magulo pa daw ang usapin, "said an insider from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).
Bancod, Senador and Nolte's reason is that they need funds to support their stint in the Asian Chess Championships.
"Pero sana inaasikaso ako ng organizing group (NCFP) ng Asian Continental kasi ito na din ang preparation ko sa Asian Indoor Games sa Macau sa Oktubre" said Bancod in an exclusive interview with this writer along with Senador late Wednesday.
"Pero umaasa pa din kami ni Manny (Senador) at Noltz (Nolte) na makalahok sa tulong ng Rotary Club ni NCFP chairman Mat Defensor" added Bancod for the generosity of NCFP chairman Quezon City rep. Matias Defensor.
To date, a total of 51 foreign players from FIDE Zones 3.1, 3.2. 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6. have confirmed their participation in the tournament which offers a total cash purse of US$40,000. Also at stake are 10 slots to the FIDE-organized World Cup scheduled in Kalmykia later this year.
(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment