Lomibao hopes to thwart Vietnamese bid for sweep

HO CHI MIHN (Via Globe Telecom) — Minus young Fil-Australian prodigy Arianne Caoili, woman FIDE Master Sheerie Joy Lomibao is confident to pick up the cudgels and hopefully foil the projected Vietnamese sweep of the Southeast Asian Games women’s chess.

"I played them (the Vietnamese) in the Asian Zonals. I drew with a number of them and lost to only one, so I think I can hold my own in this event," said Lomibao, who is tapped to play board one in the team event in the absence of Caoili.

Lomibao gave herself a chance of winning in the individual event while she and her teammates have conceded already the team gold to the hosts.

"Sa Vietnam na siguro ang team championship at laban na lang kami sa individual," said board two player Christine Rose Mariano. "Malaki ang hinina ng team dahil wala si Caoili."

Completing the women’s team are Beverly Mendoza and Kathryn Cruz.

As in the men’s side where the Philippines is fancied to make a strong showing, four golds are to be disputed in women’s play — the long game (standard) and rapid team and individual titles.

Lomibao, a Letran College alumna, has been the RP women’s team top board player in the last two Olympiads, coming up with 50-percent outputs in both events.

The 24-year-old Caloocan resident was a three-time national junior champion, third placer in the 1997 Asian Juniors in Rajasthan, India and winner of the RP Open twice in 1998 and 2003.

But she knows she has a job cut out for her versus Vietnamese rivals whose games are honed up by several exposures abroad.

"Naglalagi sila sa Europe. Deretso-deretso ang campaign nila doon," said Lomibao.

The petite young lady incidentally was the best finisher among Filipinas in the recent Asian Zonals at sixth where she obtained her FIDE master title.