Mark has not gained slot in world tiff

An International Chess Federation (FIDE) source told The STAR yesterday that Grandmaster Mark Paragua, who topped the Asian Zone 3.3 eliminations recently, has qualified for the World Cup in Siberia in December but not yet for the world championships in Argentina next year.

In an exclusive communication with The STAR, a FIDE official said Paragua’s tie for first place with Indonesian GM Utut Adianto in the zonal tournament in Malaysia gave him a berth in the World Cup set Dec. 3-24 in Khanky Mansisk in West Siberia. The World Cup is the first of qualifying stages for the world championship. The top five from the World Cup will join five seeded players, the world’s top superGMs, in the Candidates Matches of the world championships next year.

Paragua and his father Eric were scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Arroyo last night.

Grandmasters Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio are scheduled to play in the Asian Championships, which also serve as qualifying tournament for the World Cup.

The two GMs hope to gain two of the Asian Championships’ 12 berths for the World Cup, but they will be up against the world class players of China, India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

"It’s like going through the eye of the needle, but if they get one, they deserve it," an official said.