LOCAL fans will surely delight when Super GM Wesley So head the list of cast in the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship on Jan. 22 to 30 at Tagaytay International Convention Center.
Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. will host the event for the second time in his capacity as president of Asian Zone 3.3.
“The city will make sure that all participants, especially the foreigners, will enjoy their stay here (Tagaytay),” said Tolentino, also the secretary general of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, who drew praises from foreign delegations for the smooth running of the 2011edition won by Indonesian Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto.
“Wesley arrived Saturday and is raring to bring pride and joy to his countrymen,” he added.
Other than the cash prizes, participants will be vying for two slots to the World Chess Cup 2013 slated in Tromso, Norway, from Aug. 10- Sept. 5.
Megaranto will be back to defend his title against a strong field to be led by top Filipino GM So, who took a break from his studies in the United States to seek another stint in the biennial World Cup.
Joining So to carry the good fight for the Filipino are GM Mark Paragua, who is fresh from winning the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Cup International Chess Championships on Sunday, 12-time national open champion GM Rogelio 'Joey' Antonio Jr., GM Richard Bitoon, GM Eugene Torre and GM Darwin Laylo.
Also expected to contend for the men’s crown are the Vietnamese and the Indonesians.
The top lady performer will advance to the Women’s World Championship in September.
GM Paragua placed second to Megaranto in 2011 and also advanced to the World Cup.
Singaporean International Li Ruofan ruled the distaff side and represented the zone in the Women’s World Championship.
Thus far, GM Oliver Barbosa is the only Filipino assured of a slot to the World Cup after placing fifth in the Asian Chess Championship held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, last May. -Marlon Bernardino-
TAGAYTAY ZONAL CHESS: ALL EYES ON SO AND TRUONG SON
TAGAYTAY CITY---ALL eyes on Super Grandmasters Wesley So and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, the top two seed when the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship gets underway yesterday here at the Tagaytay International Convention Center.
The 19-year-old So, the country’s highest-ranked player and the tournament’s top seed with an Elo rating of 2682, took a break from his studies at Webster University in the United States to compete in the event hosted by Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. and the city council.
"Talagang pinaghadaan ko itong 3.3 Zonal chess dito sa Tagaytay City. Hope makuha natin ang isa sa dalawa slot sa World Cup" said So, who is schedule to face Rustum Tolentino, with an Elo rating of 2364 in yesterday's opening round.
" Maganda ang aabangan natin dito sa Tagaytay 3.3 Zonal chess. Tiyak lahat nakatutok sa dalawang super grandmasters na sina Wesley So at Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son ng Vietnam," said Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino, also the secretary general of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by Chairman/President Prospero 'Butch' Pichay Jr.
"Hope makuha natin ang dalawang slot sa World Cup" added NCFP Chairman/President Prospero 'Butch' Pichay Jr.
At stake are cash prizes and two slots to the World Chess Cup 2013 slated Aug. 10 to Sept. 5 in Tromso, Norway.
GM Oliver Barbosa, who is assured of a World Cup berth by virtue of a fifth-place finish in the Asian Chess Championship held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, last May, opted not to play in the said qualification tournament for the World Championships .
Meanwhile, Truong Son, ranked second from Vietnam with a Elo rating of 2631 goes up against Fide Master Rudin Hamdani of Indonesia who hold an Elo rating of 2357 in Board 2 while 12-time national open champion GM Rogelio 'Joey' Antonio Jr. (Elo 2541), ranked third opposite Edgar Reggie Olay (Elo 2353) in Board 3.
In other matches saw, GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam (Elo 2531) opposite IM Firman Syah Farid of Indonesia (Elo 2338) in Board 4, defending champion GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia (Elo 2529) against FM Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam (Elo 2306) in Board 5, IM Gundavaa Bayarsaikhan of Mongolia (Elo 2522) versus Roger Sarip (Elo 2284) in Board 6, GM John Paul Gomez (Elo 2520) versus Yeoh Li Tian of Malaysia (Elo 2278) in Board 7, PSC Chess Ruler GM Mark Paragua (Elo 2519) versus Manny Yu (Elo 2274) in Board 8, IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam (Elo 2504) versus FM Mari Joseph Turqueza (Elo 2256) in Board 9 and IM Nguyen Doc Hoa of Vietnam (Elo 2495) versus Nelson 'Elo' Mariano III (Elo 2251) in Board 10.-Marlon Bernardino-
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