PSC chess tournament gets going today in QC

The Psc-Puregold Chess Challenge starts today with virtually the same cast that took part in the just-concluded Philippine International Chess Championship.

All eight foreigners have stayed and are predicted to do better than their Filipino counterparts once again.

Georgian GMs Levan Pantsulaia and Merab Gagunashvili, Russian GM Ivan Popov and Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan finished with similar 7.0 points in the race for the Philippine International title, which eventually went to Pantsulaia on account of a higher tiebreak, last Thursday.

They left the Filipinos fighting for crumbs, with GM John Paul Gomez winding up fifth, GM Darwin Laylo seventh and GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. ninth.

Rounding up the top finishers were Russian GMs Mikhail Mozharov (seventh), Anton Demchenko (eighth) and Indian International Master Narayana Sunilduth Lyna (tenth). The eighth foreigner, Fide Master Sumiya Bilguun placed 17th among 38 bets.

The Filipinos, especially United States-based GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, who landed 15th and US-campaigner GM Oliver Barbosa, who tumbled to 20th place, are, however, determined to prove their mettle in the $30,000 PSC-Puregood Challenge to be held at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre, who settled at 11th spot, won’t be around, but local International Masters Ronaldo Nolte Barlo Nadera, Oliver Dimakiling and Emmanuel Senador will be joining the quest for the top $5,000 purse of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Other local hopefuls are GM Richard Bitoon, IM Kim Steven Yap and FM Randy Segarra. Also joining is WIM Bernadette Galas, who’ll become the fifth female in the Open division.

NCFP officials, led by president/chair Prospero “Butch” Pichay, and PSC chair Richie Garcia will grace the opening ceremonies.