FIVE MORE GRANDMASTERS IN THREE YEARS TIME; ASIAN ZONAL TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTRY NEXT YEAR—PICHAY

NATIONAL Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. set his another ultimate goal to produce five more grandmaster in three years time and will added another milestone in RP chess.

“Target kong magkaroon muli tayo ng five more grandmasters tatlong taon magmula ngayon,” said Pichay, also the chairman of the board of Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in an exclusive interview with this writer last Thursday in his office at the Old Balara in Katipunan, Quezon City.

Under his leadership, the former first district representative of Surigao del Sur produce grandmasters in the likes of GMs Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, Joseph Sanchez and Rogelio Barcenilla.

“ Kailangan lamang talagang bigyan sila ng break,” added Pichay, who also bidding the hosting of the Asian Zonal Chess Championships to be held in Manila next year.

So far the country have a total 12^th chess grandmasters that includes Eugene Torre, the late Rosendo Balinas, Rogelio Antonio Jr., Bong Villamayor, Nelson Mariano, and Mark Paragua.

According to Pichay, Cebuano IM Richard Bitoon needed only one GM norm to complete his full-pledge GM status.

“Si Richard (Bitoon) yan ang inaasahan nating maging pinakabagong grandmaster ng ating bansa kasi isa na lamang GM norm ang kakailanganin niyang matamo,” added Pichay.

Pichay also revealed that youthful John Alcon Datu, Haridas Pascua, Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Paolo Bersamina are the next future RP’s grandmasters.

“Yan sina Alcon (Datu), Haridas (Pascua), Jan Emmanuel (Garcia) at Paolo (Bersamina) ay mga future chess grandmaster natin,” said Pichay.

Europe based IM Roland Salvador had two GM norm under his belt while US based Cebuano IM Enrico Sevillano had one GM norm.

In other related chess stories, Pichay is bidding the country’s hosting for the prestigious Asian Zonal Chess Championships, a qualification tournament for the World Chess Cup (World Chess Championships) slated next year in Manila.

“Nagbi bid tayo na ma host ang Asian Zonal next year dito sa Manila. I’m confident na mananalo tayo sa bidding,” said Pichayl also the deputy president of the powerful ASEAN Chess Confederation

The country’s first hosting of the Asian Zonal Chess Championships in 2001 at the Grand Boulevard Hotel along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO