Barbosa leads Phl bid in PSC Cup

MANILA, Philippines - GM Oliver Barbosa Jr., the lone Filipino qualifier to the World Chess Cup, heads the local challenge in the Philippine Sports Commission Cup International Chess Championship which begins Jan. 14 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Barbosa finished fifth overall in the 11th Asian Continental Individual Chess Championships last May in Vietnam, a qualifying event to the World Chess Cup slated in Tromso, Norway later this year.

GMs Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio, a 12-time national Open champion, are also expected to compete in the nine-round Swiss-system tournament which offers a total prize pot of $30,000.

The winner will get $6,000.

Also in the fold are GMs Mark Paragua, John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo and Richard Bitoon; IMs Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Rolando Nolte, Oliver Dimakiling, Chito Garma, and Yves Ranola, WIM Catherine Perena, FMs Mari Joseph Turqueza, Randy Segarra and Paolo Bersamina, WFMs Rulp Ylem Jose and Janelle Mae Frayna.

GMs Tahir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan and Cao Sang of Vietnam head the foreign players in the seven-day championship sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

NCFP chairman/president Butch Pichay Jr., secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino Jr., executive director GM Jayson Gonzales, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares, PSC chairman Richie Garcia and POC president Peping Cojuangco Jr. will lead the opening rites at 2 p.m. 

For details, contact NCFP at email address: [email protected], [email protected], or mobile No: +639228523089 or Fide representative Casto Abundo at [email protected] or mobile No: UAE: +971503544938 and Manila: +639054069957.