The Philippine men’s and women’s para chess teams started strong at the 3rd Asian Chess Championship 2025 in Tagaytay City Tuesday, December 2, with several opening-round wins positioning them for potential podium finishes.
Top seed Darry Bernardo led the charge in the men’s division, defeating compatriot Francis Ching to set the early tone for the home team.
Veterans Menandro Redor, arena grand master (AGM) Henry Roger Lopez of Panabo City, Arman Subaste, and Israel Peligro also picked up victories, giving the hosts momentum despite some Filipino players faltering on other boards.
Bernardo, a former Far Eastern University varsity standout, welcomed the solid start. Redor outplayed Uzbekistan’s Bobur Dustmurodov, Lopez stunned India’s Shreesh Kulkarni, Subaste dominated Anthony Abogado, and Peligro kept pace by stopping Altheo Nazareno.
Kazakhstan’s No. 2 seed Alimzhan Ayapov likewise opened strong, beating Vietnam’s Van Viet Le to anchor the foreign challengers. Uzbekistan’s Axadxon Kimsanboyev and FM Sirojiddin Zaynidinov, along with Kazakhstan’s Erlan Nurhayev, also triumphed.
The women’s division saw the Philippine team match the men’s competitiveness with several opening wins of their own. Top seed Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza outlasted Kazakhstan’s Natalya Gorokhova, while Cheryl Angot, Ma. Katrina Mangawang and Kyla Jane Langue each secured victories. A few Filipinas dropped their matches, underscoring the depth of competition among Asean and Central Asian standouts.
Vietnamese entries Thi Huong Pham, Ngoc Loan Tran, and Thi Hoang Nguyen, Thailand’s Siripimon Sakchai, and Kazakhstan’s Aiganym Kambarova also posted wins.
In Round 2, Filipino men’s players face pivotal matchups, including an all-Pinoy top board clash and tough rounds against strong regional opponents.
Other Filipinos look to rebound after early setbacks: Francis Ching takes on Azizbek Safarov of Uzbekistan, Anthony Abogado meets Vietnam’s Van Viet Le, and Rodolfo Sarmiento goes up against India’s Shreesh Kulkarni. John Franz De Asis is paired with compatriot Cecilio Bilog, while Altheo Nazareno tries to recover against Uzbekistan’s Bobur Dustmurodov.
In the women’s division, Angot takes the spotlight on Board 1, facing higher-rated Mendoza in an all-Filipino clash. Langue tests her mettle against Natalya Gorokhova, while Maria Teresa Bilog and Nacita will try to bounce back from opening round losses when they play against each other. Homegrown hopefuls Charmaine Tonic and Corazon Lucero will also test their mettle opposite each other.
The Tagaytay Chess Club, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, and the Philippine Para Chess Association are staging the championship under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and Fide.
Direct Fide titles, trophies, and medals are at stake across the visually impaired, physically impaired, and hearing impaired divisions. MLSAbalayan with Marlon Bernardino