Torre pleads case
By Edwin Rollon
ASIA’S first grandmaster Eugene Torre is seeking a historic 20th appearance in World Chess Olympiad.
Fellow GM Joey Antonio is trying to reaffirm his status as one of the best local players.
Both are hoping the National Chess Federation of the Philippines will reconsider its decision and allow them to play for the national team set to compete in the 38th Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany.
“We will really appreciate it if we’re invited and included in the team bound for Chess Olympiad. It’s an honor and as always, we’re always proud to play for the flag and country,” said Torre in yesterday’s Scoop sa Kamayan.
Torre and Antonio accepted the fact that they are technically out of the team since they failed to join the qualifying tournament. Their only hope is that NCFP president Prospero Pichay will appreciate their contributions in Philippine chess and that they be given slots in the team.
They said they are not against the selection process implemented by the NCFP.
“Iginagalang namin ang desisyon na magkaroon ng qualifying, but we are asking for reconsideration since hindi kami nakasali dahil sa ibang kadahilanan. Ako, talagang tinawagan ko pa si Mr. Pichay para ipaalam na may sakit ako during the qualifying tournament, kaya hindi ako puwede,” said Antonio, still the country’s holder of highest ELO rating at 2529.
Although the NCFP hasn’t released the official lineup for the Nov. 12 to 28 Olympiad, Pichay has earlier said that the qualifying tournament for the Olympiad held only recently will be used as the only selection process. He also added that they will discourage the old practice of seeding the GMs or having special treatment for the players.
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/
Let Torre play!
Free Nelson Mandela.
orre nees to us his Kung Fu!
One neck chop and he will be going to compete!
I think that the federation is doing the right thing by sticking to its guns and requiring people to qualify as opposed to seeding one or two GMs into the teams. If GM Antonio is sick during the qualifiers, that’s fine…he can try again two years from now. As for Torre’s streak of 19 consecutive Olympiads and going for his 20th, well…all streaks must come to an end.
That said, don’t be surprised if there’s an eleventh hour change and Torre and/or Antonio is/are seeded into the teams and two of the qualifiers (probably the weakest ratings-wise) are booted off unceremoniously.
Wesley So is highest rated, not Antonio, and by a big margin.
And why does the article further mix the individual cases of Torre and Antonio up?
I think Torre brings experience to the team and it is true he would have suffered the many rounds of play.
Antonio on the other hand has had very poor results lately and was just afraid.
Hail the new generation of hungry young players!
Torre and Antonio
Enough is enough ! prove it over the board not just by experince.
It’s about time to have a new crop of young players.
Not to favoritism & chess politics anymore it will ruin our beloved game .
today failure is tomorrow’s success
Hail Hon. Pichay !
I think that the federation is doing the wrong thing by sticking to its guns and requiring people to qualify as opposed to seeding one or two GMs into the teams.
As for Torre’s streak of 19 consecutive Olympiads and going for his 20th, well…all streaks should never come to an end.
Mark my words! Torre will play! Antonio is out!
from an anoonymous resource