GTK pushes for blitz, rapid chess in SEAG

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) remains optimistic chess will deliver the gold in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, as Filipino chess players seek to contribute to the country’s bid for the overalll championships.

NCFP president Go Teng Kok said yesterday the star-studded national team would deliver as it did in Vietnam in the biennial meet set late this year in several key cities.

Go, who is also appointed chairman of the SEA Games sports and rules committee tasked to determine and recommend possible additions to the number of events in the calendar, recently met with FIDE secretary-general Ignatius Leong of Singapore and Asian Zone 3.2 head Dang Tat Thang of Vietnam.

They discussed the possible inclusion of rapid and blitz events in the chess program, increasing the number of gold medals at stake to as many as 12.

"It’s a good recommendation, and we will back this up during the SEA Games Federation Council meeting late this month. I believe our team would be a strong contender in these events," said Go.

Leong also inquired on the issue involvig NCFP sec-gen Samuel Estimo. "There was no formal discussion on this, but I made it clear to them that this is a domestic problem. If there’s a proper forum for this, it’s the NCFP. And I’m just glad they both understood our position," said Go.

Go added that while Estimo’s case was already investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation which recommended the filing of a case against the latter on the alleged mismanagement of allowances of the national players in the 2003 World Youth Championships in Greece, the NCFP has yet to receive a formal complaint from the alleged complainants.