MANILA, 20 September — Filipino chess players may end up missing the flight to the prestigious 35th Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia, next month.
With barely a month left, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) has not yet raised 1.5 million pesos needed to send the men’s and women’s teams to the Chess Olympiad set Oct. 25-Nov. 11.
This came about after the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the country’s sports-funding agency, thumbed down the NCFP’s request for financial assistance.
For the record, the Philippines has been sending teams to the World Chess Olympiads since 1956. Should the NCFP fail to produce the needed amount in time, the country may be forced to abandon their campaign marking the first time Filipino woodpushers would miss the biennial event in 46 years.
The NCFP is expected to ask the PSC to reconsider its decision denying the chess body financial support for the national team’s stint in the Olympiad.
Lawyer Sammy Estimo, the NCFP secretary-general, said the chess body wrote the PSC last July asking for financial assistance for the Philippine team, to the tune of 1.5 million pesos.
He said the PSC board denied the request last Aug. 16 but the decision was forwarded to the NCFP only last Sept. 11.
"We’re very saddened by this development since we expected the PSC to support the team, considering that our chess players have brought honors to the country since we first joined the Olympiad back in 1956," said Estimo.
"Even our preparation will be affected, since this is a big psychological blow to the players who are relying on the PSC’s support for their stint in the Olympiad. Because of this development, we’re concerned the players might lose their focus."
Asia’s first grandmaster Eugene Torre, who is again leading the Filipinos’ campaign in Slovenia, was saddened by the news.
"Definitely, it will be a big setback for Philippine chess," said the 50-year-old Torre upon learning of the possibility of the country’s absence in the Olympics.
The indefatigable Torre has been the country’s board 1 player to the Chess Olympics since 1972. He has won three silver medals while playing as the national team’s anchor.
It will mark the 16th time since 1972 that Torre will be playing on the top board for the country in the World Chess Olympics.
"People probably overlook the significance of playing in the Olympics. It is every chess player’s dream to take part in the Olympics. You take it away, you take away the players’ hopes and aspirations," said Torre.
He criticized the PSC, headed by former national swimmer Eric Buhain, for giving little importance to the Chess Olympiad.
"We should remember that the Olympiad is even bigger than the Asian Games. There are 126 countries taking part in the Olympiad, and we belong to the top 20," said Torre.
The NCFP has already used up the 1.1 million pesos allocation given by the PSC this year where a big chunk of it was used for the national players’ preparations for the Olympiad and other activities. The funding problems cropped up when the NCFP canceled the training matches of the teams recently.
Estimo said 1.5 million pesos would have adequately met the expenses for the players’ two-way fares, including train fares from Italy to Bled, uniforms and allowances.
"We now have very little time to ask help from other sponsors. But we’re not losing hope. We’re going to ask PSC chairman Eric Buhain to reconsider our request," said Estimo.
The PSC denied the NCFP’s request for financial assistance "due to budgetary constraints," adding the bulk of the agency’s budget for the year has already been allotted to the athletes bound for the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea this month.
"We understand that most of the money will be spent for the Asian Games. But we’re only asking financial assistance for 10 people," said Estimo.
But, being Olympic year, the NCFP had hoped the PSC will help shoulder the country’s participation in the Olympiad.
The Philippines has had modest successes in the Chess Olympiad, underscoring its stature as an Asian power.
In 1974 in Nice, the Filipinos broke through with an 11th place finish, highlighted by Torre’s silver medal at board one.
The Filipinos surpassed that performance with an impressive seventh-place finish in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1988.
Two years ago in Istanbul, Turkey, the Filipinos came within half-a-point of landing in the Magic 10 anew, placing 17th ahead of such chess powers as the United States and the Netherlands. In the same tournament, they defeated arch rival China, 2.5-1.5, this despite sitting out Grandmaster Joey Antonio.
Aside from Torre’s three silvers, two Filipinos have also won the gold in the individual board.
National Master Glenn Bordonada, now retired, was perfect in board four to win the gold in the 1978 Buenos Aires Olympiad.
International Master Rico Mascarinas emerged tops in board two during the 1982 Lucerne Olympiad.
Three grandmasters and three equally talented international masters in the Philippine delegation to the Olympiad will boost hopes of making the top 10 in the event.
Torre will be joined in the this year’s team by fellow Grandmasters Bong Villamayor and Antonio, International Masters Mark Paragua and Nelson Mariano, and National Master Petronio Roca.
Australian-based IWM Arianne Caoili heads the women’s squad which includes IWM Beverly Mendoza, Joy Lomibao and Kathrynn Cruz.
Caoili, currently the country’s top female chess player, is expected to blossom into a strong player due to her exposure in several international tournaments, including the Olympiad.
In fact, the 13-year-old Caoili has already surpassed former national women’s champion Cristine Rose Mariano-De Jesus in terms of achievements and popularity last year.
Estimo expressed confidence the Philippines will improve its standing this year.
"The Philippine team has always been a formidable team in recent Olympiad stagings. This year’s lineup is equally formidable," Estimo said. Estimo said Torre will provide the experience in the country’s already formidable team.
Torre made history by becoming Asia’s first chess grandmaster, thanks to a stirring performance against Grandmaster Robert Byrne in the 21st Chess Olympiad in Nice, France, when he was at the tender age of 22.
He came tantalizingly close to a shot at the World Chess Championship, only to see his hope crushed, initially by Hungary’s Zoltan Ribli, and years later by British grandmaster Nigel Short.
Torre defeated world chess champion Anatoly Karpov in an exhibition game, dubbed The Marlboro-Loyola Kings Challenge, in Manila in 1976.
This year, Torre won the title in the Philippine Chess Championship. He first won this championship in 1970, which was 31 years ago.
The 38-year old Antonio topped the 2000 Millennium Chess Pambansa Grand Prix as national champion. Villamayor had a coaching stint in Singapore and his added knowledge can help a lot in future matches.
Paragua and Mariano will be making their debut in the biennial event.
"I believe we have a strong, competitive team. MacMac (Paragua’s nickname) and Nelson (Mariano) may be rookies, but they are seasoned campaigners," said Torre.
