PH men’s squad eyes Top 20 finish in chess Olympiad

TO improve on their 50th place finish two years ago will be the main target of the national men’s chess team when it competes in the 40th World Chess Olympiad slated from Aug. 27 to Sept. 10 at the Istanbul Expo Center in Turkey.

This was bared by former Olympian and Head Coach GM Jayson Gonzales during the sendoff party for the Philippine team last Sunday at the Ma Mon Luk Restaurant in Quezon City.

“We’ll be aiming for a top 20 finish, but if given a chance to be in the top 10 again, we’ll grab it,” said Asia’s First Grandmaster Eugene Torre, who will be competing for a record 21st Olympiad.

“We are confident that we can perform well in this biennial chess tournament,” said Gonzales who was a member of the Philippine Team during the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Spain in 2004 where the country’s men’s team finished in 12th place.

“I like our chances in this Olympiad,” said Tagaytay City Mayor and NCFP Secretary-General Abraham Tolentino Jr. who openly predicted that the Filipinos will improve on their 50th-place finish in the meet’s 39th edition in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia in 2010.

Board One in the men’s team will be manned by the country’s youngest GM Wesley So, who at 18 has an ELO rating of 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 “Battle of Grandmasters” in Boracay. Alternate is GM candidate and International Master Oliver Dimakiling (2428).

The Filipinos are currently ranked 31st in the world.

GM Gonzales, who coaches both the men’s and the women’s teams also expressed confidence on the latter’s chances. The Filipinas finished in 44th place two years ago.

The women’s squad is made up of WIM Catherine Perena, WFM Rulp Ylem Jose, WNMs Janelle Mae Frayna, Jedara Docena and Jan Jodilyn Fronda. They are ranked 52nd in the World. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino