Phl chessers play Afghans in 1st round

MANILA, Philippines - The rag-tag Philippine men’s chess team launches its bid for an honored place in the pantheon of chess greats when it clashes with lowly Afghanistan in the first round of the 41st World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

Needing as many victories in the opener, the Filipinos went full force by fielding in grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra, John Paul Gomez and Eugene Torre and youthful International Master Paul Bersamina.

The Afghans will field in just four players and will have only two titled players in FIDE Masters Kooshani Mahbuboollah (2036) and Asefi Zaheeruddeen (1996) at their disposal. The other two members of the team are Sarwaery Hamidullah (1920) and Ahmadi Zabiullah (2031).

The 63-year-old Torre will make a historic 22nd Olympiad appearance, the most by any other chessers in the world, while Sadorra, who joined the team two days ago after flying straight from the United States, and 16-year-old Bersamina are making their debuts.

Sadorra, who played college chess for University of Texas in Dallas, was thrusted into the top board after the country’s top two players – GMs Wesley So and Oliver Barbosa – begged off.

So, who is ranked 12th in the world, has changed allegiance and will be one of the coaches of the US men’s squad while Barbosa, who played Board Two in the last staging two years ago in Turkey, failed to get a visa.

Bersamina, being tipped as a possible second coming of So, will make his Olympiad debut after filling the void left by So himself. Playing team captain GM Jayson Gonzales will sit it out.

Gonzales plays as an alternate after GM Banjo Barcenilla, who was to replace Barbosa, begged off twice, citing terror threats in Tromso.

Cheradine Camacho, Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Catherine Perena and Christy Lamiel Bernales will comprise the women’s squad. It drew Palau in the opener.

There is a chance that the Phl will use Sadorra, Gomez, Torre and Bersamina heavily since Gonzales is rusty after playing his last competitive chess six years ago.