Philippine chess team off to a good start in 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad

Philippine chess team off to a good start in 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad

Philippine chess team off to a good start in 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad

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THE Philippine men's and women's chess teams scored similar victories at the start of 43rd Chess Olympiad late Monday at the Sports Place in Batumi, Georgia.

The 54th seed Philippine men's team routed No. 144 San Marino, 4-0, while the No. 43 Philippines women's team blanked No.117 Mozambique , 4-0.

The men’s team, composed of GM Julio Catalino Sadora (ELO 2553), IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia(2439), IM Haridas Pascua (2435) and FM Mari Joseph Turqueza (2360) easily posted a shutout victory over their San Marino counterparts led by Paul Rossini (1678), Giancarlo Berardi (1766), FM Enrico Grassi (1965) and CM Danilo Volpinari (1985).

In the distaff side, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna (2287), WIM Catherine Perena Secopito (2157), WFM Shania Mae Mendoza (2113) and WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego (2102) toppled WIM Vania Fausto Da T. Vilhete (1752), Katina Efentakis (1451), Suzete Vicente Jefo (1379) and Cheila Andre Sitoe (1545).

The men’s team will face Slovakia in Tueday's second round while the women's team goes up against Slovenia.

The No.48 Slovakia beat No.138 Mali, 3.5-0.5, while No.35 Slovenia crushed No.109 Zambia, 3.5-0.5.

Asia's First GM Eugene Torre is the head coach of the men’s team while GM Jayson Gonzales is the head coach of the women's team.

The Filipino woodpushers playing under the banner of NCFP Chairman/ President Deputy Speaker Prospero "Butch" Arreza Pichay Jr. and Secretary-General Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Ng Tolentino Jr.

Meanwhile, Filipino GM Wesley So trounced Roberto Carlos Sanchez Alvarez to spearheaded top seed United States of America into 4-0 victory over No.89 Panama.

GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Samuel Shankland and Ray Robson also won their respective matches.

Filipino IM Enrique Paciencia, meantime disposed CM Osvaldo Dos Santos Lima to lift Singapore.

WGM Qianyun Gong, FM Qing Aun Lee and CM Jun Wei Lee also toppled their respective opponents to scored shut-out wins of Singapore chess team.

In another related news, last September 19, 2018,Dasmariñas Mayor Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr. presented a check amounting to P100,000 to 19-year-old WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego , a resident of City homes Resortville at Barangay Langkaan II, as financial assistance from the City of Dasmariñas for being the first Dasmarineña to become a member of the Philippine Olympic Team that shall compete at the 43rd Chess Olympiad at Batumi, Georgia from September 23 to October 6, 2018.

Ms. San Diego is a former member of the City of Dasmariñas Chess Team when she was still studying at The First Uniting Christian School. She has been a member of the De La Salle University Chess Team since 2015. With her numerous achievements in the field of chess, she became a Woman International Master (WIM) in 2017. -Marlon Bernardino-