Torre, Antonio to lead PH bid in Asian Zone 3.3 chess tilt

Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre and 12-time National Open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. will banner the Philippine campaign in the Asian Zone 3.3 chess championships on May 24-30 at the Tagaytay Convention Center.

“Matagal tagal na din akong di nakapaglaro sa World Chess Championships na World Chess Cup na ngayon. Sana maganda ang maging performance natin sa Tagaytay,” said the 59-year-old Torre who won the 1982 Inter-Zonal in Tolluca, Mexico and was a quarterfinalist in the 1983 World Chess Championships.
Antonio for his part said he will use the tournament to reach his goal of breaching the 2600 ELO mark. Antonio holds an ELO rating of 2589.
Meanwhile, the country’s top player GM Wesley So and GM Jayson Gonzales opted not to play in the week-long event.

So decided to skip the event since he has already qualified for the World Cup. But the young chess sensation said he will still go to Tagaytay to lend moral support to his teammates.

So advanced to the 128-player World Cup after reaching the quarter-final round last year in Khanty-Mansiyk, Russia where he beat Super GMs Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Gata Kamsky of the United States.

Gonzales, on the other hand, begged off because of a loaded schedule as the new grassroots development program director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. (NCFP).

Torre and Antonio will be joined by GMs John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo, 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 king NM Paulo Bersamina.
Making up the women’s team are Woman International Masters Chardine Cheradee Camacho, Beverly Mendoza, Cristine Rose Mariano, Catherine Perena, RP Juniors Girls winner WNMs Janelle Mae Frayna, Cristy Lamiel Bernales and Rulp Ylem Jose.

The event will start at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.