Chess returns to the 30th Southeast Asian Games after being scrapped in the last two editions with the Philippines hoping to get a fair share of the five gold medals at stake.
Swept by Vietnam the last time the country hosted the Games in 2005, organizers limited the events to individual rapid and blitz chess for men and women, and ASEAN open chess.
With most of the country’s top grandmasters plying their trade abroad, the Philippines will be represented by rising young players making their Games debut mixed with two veteran GMs.
Vietnam, led by former world blitz champion GM Le Quang Liem, remains the odds-on favorite, but national coach GM Eugene Torre is confident the Nationals can win at least two gold medals.
International Masters Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Paolo Bersamina have been tapped to play in rapid chess while 15-year-old IM Daniel Quizon and veteran National Master Daniel Elorta will see action in blitz chess.
Many-time national champion GM Joey Antonio and GM Darwin Laylo try to pull off a surprise in ASEAN chess, a game not played here but popular in Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar.
The women’s team, on the other hand, is made up of Woman International Masters Catherine Secopito and Shaina Mae Mendoza in women’s rapid and WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and WFM Cherry Ann Mejia in women’s blitz.
GM Jayson Gonzales is handling the women’s squad.
Since Vietnam won all six gold medals in Manila in 2005, the Philippines has chalked up only one gold in three Games where chess was played.
GM Wesley So, who now plays for the United States, was the last Filipino to win the gold after topping standard chess in 2011.
The last time chess was played in the Games in 2013 in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, the Philippines pocketed two silvers and two bronzes.
Torre said they are hoping that the reduced time control will give the Filipinos a chance to end Vietnam’s domination.
With almost 100 days left before the start of the Games, Torre said the team will plunge into extensive training.
Torre said he hopes to tap IM Marvin Miciano and FIDE Master Mari Joseph Turqueza as practice players.
He is also mulling the possibility of bringing in a top Thai player to help Antonio and Laylo prepare in ASEAN chess.
Thai chessers collected seven gold medals in Myanmar, all in ASEAN chess.