RP chessers slowed down in rapid chess

The Philippines bowed to Vietnam, 1.5-2.5, last night and settled for a silver medal in the rapid chess team championship at the Tagaytay Convention Center in Tagaytay City.

GM Nelson Mariano II trounced Tu Hoang Thong but GM Eugene Torre and IM Barlo Nadera succumbed to GM Nguyen Anh Dung and Fide Master Le Quang Liem, respectively, as the Filipino chessers missed another crack at the gold medal.

GM Joey Antonio halved the point with GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son.

Truong Son foiled Torre in the semis round of the individual rapid competition Monday and went on to win the gold medal against Indon GM Susanto Megaranto. Torre settled for bronze.

The setbacks in rapid chess have left the Filipinos a difficult task of pulling it off in the standard and blitz events.

"If we don’t win in the rapid team, it will be difficult for us to win the gold in other events," said Samuel Estimo, coach of the national team and secretary-general of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. "Vietnam is a force to reckon with. They are coached by a Russian world qualifier so we have to be really careful with them."

The RP chessers advanced to the team finals by overpowering Singapore, 2.5-1.5, as Torre regained his composure to power the hosts to the victory with a win over GM Meng Kong Wong. Mariano and Antonio and Nadera settled for draws on the other boards.

With two gold medals gone, the Filipinos hope to do better in the standard competition, which begins today.

Antonio and Torre will be joined in by the country’s young turks in IM Ronald Dableo, last year’s Asian Zonal champion, FIDE Master Oliver Dimakiling and NM Oliver Barbosa.

Also slated is the women’s competition where Sheerie Joy Lomibao and Beverly Mendoza will spearhead the RP team’s bid against a talent-laden field. — Michelle Velete