Young RP chess team ‘confident’ in Olympiad
11/10/2008 03:52 PM
Official Chess Olympiad website: www.Dresden2008.com
MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So leads a youthful national team that will be without two of RP chess’ icons.No problem. Team Philippines will play the 38th World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany “a confident bunch,” chess officials claimed.
The men’s team will be bannered by four of the country’s top 10 players, spearheaded by top-ranked Pinoy player Wesley So.
So will be joined by fellow Grandmasters Darwin Laylo and Jayson Gonzales and International Master John Paul Gomez.
Eugene Torre, Asia’s first GM, and Joey Antonio are forgoing another stint at the top-tier tournament, paving the way for the introduction of new blood.
The most veteran member is GM Bong Villamayor who will man Board One for the Filipinos seeking to improve on their 44th-place finish in the last Olympiad.
“I think we have better chances with our teams this year compared to the ones we had in the Turin Olympiad two years ago,” Prospero Pichay, president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, said in the weekend.
Only So and Laylo are the remaining members of the 2006 squad.
In the women’s side, Catherine Pereña and her teammates hope to better their 23rd-place finish.
Shercila Cua, Daisy Rivera, Cheradee Chardine Camacho and Christy Lamiel Bernales are the other members of the ladies’ squad. Camacho and Bernales are coming off a grueling junior worlds tournament.
Torre and Cesar Caturla will serve as non-playing captains for this year’s men’s and women’s teams, respectively.
In the Turin Olympiad, Armenia and Ukraine topped the men’s and women’s divisions respectively.
China and the US completed the top three in the men’s side, while Russia and China rounded up the ladies’ top three. – GMANews.TV
Participants and teams
http://tournaments.chessdom.com/chess-olympiad-2008-teams
Better for RP was to stay home and spend money going for deserved holidays after non-stop playing. They have nothing to look forward to in the Olympics, they will be food for the Russians and USA.
what is the matter anos 18:00?
just because your boy torre is not playing you are putting down your kabayan.
typical crab mind set man.
‘what is the matter’
Torre is KING.
The 18:00 poster is an idiot. You go to play in the Olympiad to do battle and do one’s best. Realistically, the Philippine team has NO chance to crack the top 10.
What I wonder though is whether or not the Olympiad team got their $1000 personal allowances as promised by Mr Pichay.
‘You go to play in the Olympiad to do battle and do one’s best.’
No you don’t. You go because it’s free trip and can make holiday.
‘You go to play in the Olympiad to do battle and do one’s best.’
Very noble, but not truesome. It’s all about meeting people of opposite sexes and all at the expense of taxpayers money.