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Thursday, August 31, 2006
Selection for RP chess team members for Asian Games opens at Mall of Asia
The eliminations for the chess players who will make up the national team for the Asian Games will start tomorrow at the SM Mall of Asia.
According to National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero Pichay, everybody will be treated equally this time around as he stood firm on his decision that the country’s grandmasters will not enjoy automatic seeding to the RP squad.
Firm
“Pichay is firm with his decision that the country’s top players will not enjoy automatic seeding in the team. All will be treated equal,” said veteran National Master Cesar Caturla, who is Pichay’s right hand for NCFP’s Chess Development projects.
Federation
The practice to extend automatic seeding to the country’s grandmasters and top bets, leaving other players to jockey for what slots remain, has existed for a long time .
The controversial Swiss System Tournament Format will be applied in the elimination tournament.
Eugene Torre, Asia’s First Grandmaster, earlier criticized the move before Sun.Star Cebu, calling it a lousy tournament format and selection process.
However, fellow GMs Mark Paragua and Nelson Mariano II confirmed to play in the tournament, showing their eagerness to carry the RP colors in Qatar, Doha Asian Games late this year.
“Paragua and Mariano had already confirmed to play. But we still don’t know about the rest of the GMs,” Caturla said.
Elimination
Cebuano International Masters Richard Bitoon and Barlo Nadera and non-master Merben Roque likewise confirmed their participation in tomorrow’s elimination games.
After falling short of getting a GM result at the recently concluded Malaysia Open in Group A, Bitoon is struggling to earn a spot in the national team in the hopes of wearing the RP colors again.
RP Squad
Bitoon was with the RP squad during the World Chess Olympiad and the Asian Inter-Cities way back in the late 90s.
Fellow Cebuano, Roque, who landed fourth in Group B of the Malaysia Open, will also try his luck to make the cut.
It successful, it will be his first time as member of the RP Chess Team. (JAF)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 31, 2006 issue)
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