Chessers confused over feuding officials’ staging of two tourneys

Infighting in Philippine chess has boiled over to the national age group chess championships.

Young chess players are confused and their parents are staging a boycott.

With two national age-group chess championships lined up by two warring groups this month, and both of them claiming to be the rightful one, it is now really up to the players or their parents to decide on which tournament they would compete in.

The first tournament, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), is set May 17-21 at the multi-purpose hall of the Market Place Shopping Mall in Mandaluyong.

The second one, sanctioned by the Federation Internationale Des Echecs (FIDE), the world governing body for chess, is set May 21-25 at the Tradehall of Starmall at Shaw Blvd. corner EDSA.

NCFP president Mat Defensor, secretary general Sammy Estimo and former NCFP president Grandmaster Eugene Torre are on one side of the equation, with former FIDE president Florencio Campomanes and NCFP executive director FIDE secretary Toti Abundo on the other side.

The NCFP yesterday lashed out at Campomanes and Abundo for organizing the FIDE-sanctioned tournament, saying only the NCFP has the exclusive rights to organize the National Age-Group and National Junior Chess Championships.

Defensor said other organizers can conduct an age group tournament but cannot use the word "national" since only the national federation has the right to use it.

Estimo said FIDE has nothing to do with the staging of local tournaments except when it is requested to rate the events.

"Other than that, FIDE statutes forbid meddling in the internal affairs of national federations," said Estimo, adding he would inform FIDE members about the situation.

Estimo said it is the NCFP, and not FIDE, which governs chess in the country.

Meanwhile, chess players’ parents had called for a boycott of the NCFP event, saying the chess body has yet to release the allowances of their children who competed in the 2003 World Youth Chess Championship in Greece.

Nelson ‘Sonny’ Mariano, father of International Masters Nelson II and Christine Rose, said his youngest son, Nelson III, would no longer join any other NCFP tournament until he receives his $450 allowance.

Aside from Nelson III, the reigning 14-under champion, also boycotting the NCP tournament are girls 16-under champion Sherilyn Cua, and 10-under champion Jodilyn Fronda.

Cua and Fronda also saw action in Greece and, like Mariano II, have yet to receive their allowances.

Also joining the FIDE-sanctioned tournament, according to a press release, are players from Cebu, Davao, Bohol, Cagayan de Oro, Angeles, Bulacan and Olongapo.

"It’s okay with us because we’re not forcing anyone to join us," said Torre.

On the other hand, leading the field in the NCFP event is National Master Oliver Barbosa who will defend his 18-under crown.

A big attraction for the NCFP tournament is a stint by the winners in the World Youth event, also in Greece, later this year. — With reports from Abac Cordero