United States-based Grandmaster Ino Sadorra and venerable GM Eugene Torre head the 25-player Philippine contingent competing in the Asian Zonal 3.3 Chess Championship set Feb. 25 to March 5 in Tagaytay City.
Sadorra, the highest-rated Filipino with an Elo of 2596, and fellow US-based GM Rogelio Barcenilla (Elo 2455) will be flying home to join the event which will determine two players to advance to this year’s World Cup and one entry to the Women’s World Championship.
Torre and GM-elect Haridas Pascua are among the homegrown talents who’ll be challenged by their regional rivals.
Woman International Masters Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Bernadette Galas will banner the distaff side if WGM Janelle Mae Frayna won’t be able to participate due to the Zonals’ conflict with the UAAP tournament.
Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino, also the Fide (World Chess Federation) secretary general, said the tournament is aimed at giving the country’s top GMs the chance to qualify and the other players to get the GM, IM and FM titles and improve their FIDE ratings.