ASIA'S FIRST GM TORRE EYES WORLD CHESS CUP; 3.3 ASIAN ZONAL CHESS ELIMS BEGINS TODAY IN TAGAYTAY

EUGENE Torre, Asia's first Grandmaster has only one thing in his mind right now, and that is to join countryman super GM Wesley So, in this year's World Chess Cup (World Chess Championships) in Khantiy, Mansiyk, Russia.

"Hope makapasok ako sa main draw ng World Chess Cup," said the 59-years-old Torre, the 1982 Toluca, Mexico Inter-Zonal champion and the first Filipino who made it to the Candidates matches in the World Chess Championship but lost to Hungrarian GM Zoltan Ribli.

Wesley So, the country's top rated player who holds a Fide ELO rating of 2667 has made it to the tournament proper of 128 players World Cup after reaching quarter-final round in the last edition in Khantiy-Mansiyk, Russia when he stunned super GMs Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Gata Kamsky of the United States.

The first round of the Asian Zone 3.3 chess championships begins today, Tuesday, 4 pm in Tagaytay City. Top officials from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and World Chess Federation (FIDE) are expected to lead a short but colorful opening rites followed by a one –minute silent prayer to honor of the late NCFP executive director Willie Abalos, who passed away last May . The tournament ends on May 30.

The week-long event to be held simultaneously with the Asian Zone 3.3 championship and the Asian Zone 3.3 women’s zonal, served as qualification tournament for the World Chess Cup, formerly FIDE knock-out World Chess Championships

Aside from Torre, other Filipino bets gunning for slots in the World Chess Cup are 12-time national open champion GMs Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., Mark Paragua, John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo and GM-elect Ronald Dableo, IMs Oliver Barbosa, Richard Bitoon, Oliver Dimakiling, Chito Garma and Barlo Nadera, reigning Philippine Boys Juniors Champion NM Mari Joseph “MJ” Turqueza and ex-RP Juniors ruler NM Paulo Bersamina.

In the distaff side, Woman International Masters Chardine Cheradee Camacho, Beverly Mendoza, Cristine Rose Mariano and newly-installed WIMs Cheradee Chardine Camacho and Catherine Perena will seeing in action in the women’s play. Also include reigning RP Juniors Girls Champion WNMs Janelle Mae Frayna, Cristy Lamiel Bernales and Rulp Ylem Jose. Tournament director is Fide delegate IA Casto “Toti’ Abundo while olympian GM Jayson Gonzales is the grass roots development program head. By: MARLON BERNARDINO