BUOYED by the recent success of GM Wesley So (Elo 2577) and fast-rising GM-candidate Julio Catalino ?Ino? Sadorra (Elo 2470), who topped the $25,000 1st ASEAN Grand Prix over-all rankings, Filipino woodpushers get another chance to show their wares when the 3rd President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup International Chess Championship starts today (Sept.7), at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Paranaque City.
Sadorra and So took the top two spots in the 1st ASEAN Grand Prix standings and won $6,000 and $5,000, respectively.
They will join GMs Eugene Torre, Rogelio ?Joey? Antonio Jr., Mark Paragua, Buenaventura ?Bong? Villamayor, Jayson Gonzales and Darwin Laylo in carrying the country?s bid against the world's best chessers that include Super GMs Murtas Kazhgaleyev (ELO 2641) of Kazakhstan, Zhang Zhong (ELO 2632) of Singapore, Zurab Azmaiparashvili (ELO 2615) and Mikhail Mchedishvili (ELO 2604) of Georgia in the nine-round tournament being organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).
?The success of Wesley (So) and Ino (Sadorra) will serve as inspiration to other Filipino players to do their best and strive harder in the PGMA and Pichay International Chess Open?, said NCFP president Prospero ?Butch? Pichay Jr., who is organizing the event along with NCFP secretary-general Abraham ?Bambol? Tolentino Jr.
Other top-notch Filipino players expected to compete in the first of two international tournaments are IMs Rolando Nolte and Richard Bitoon, who ranked third and fourth in the Asean rankings, pocketing $4,000 and $3,000 respectively, IMs Ronald Bancod and Emmanuel Senador, who led Team Philippines (Apocalypse, Manila) to the over-all crown of the recent 28th ASTRO Merdeka Standard Team Chess Championship 2008 at The Chess Network, Wilayah Complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At stake in the $40,000 PGMA Open are S$6,000 for the champion, $5,000 to the runner-up and $4,000 to third placer. Cash will also be given to the fourth to 32nd placers.
After the PGMA Cup, the 4th Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Open Chess will follow from Sept. 13 to 20 at the same venue. Correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO
