Paragua, Mariano head field in Doha chess elims

Grandmaster Mark Paragua, the country’s highest-rated chess player, will lead a mix of seasoned and upcoming chess stars in the 2006 National Chess Federation of the Philippines qualifying tournament for the Doha, Qatar Asian Games in December.

Listup ends today with the 11-round, Swiss System tournament set to start tomorrow. It will end on Sept. 9 and will be held at the ground floor (south side, Entertainment Mall, near JB Music Store), Mall of Asia.

The 22-year old Paragua will be joined in the week-long tournament by GM Nelson Mariano II, International Masters Oliver Dimakiling and Darwin Laylo, 12-year old IM Wesley So, IM Ronald Dableo and NMs Mirabeau Maga, John Paul Gomez and Rolando Nolte and a host of other titled and untitled players who will slug it out for berths in the Asiad.

Only three slots are up for grabs for the Asiad meet: two for men and a lone slot for a female player. Most of the titled players listed for the tournament are coming off a tough stint in the recent Malaysian Open. Paragua finished in a tie for sixth to 10th place, while Dimakiling and Laylo placed second and fourth, respectively, in the tournament participated in by some of the big names in chess from the region.

Dimakiling and Laylo gained GM norms; So earned an outright IM title, while Gomez, the country’s only three-time national junior champion, obtained an IM result.

"This is a good test for our chess players. Some of them, especially those who just arrived home from a tournament in Malaysia, are in top form. I expect a good fight throughout the tournament," said NCFP president Rep. Prospero "Butch"Pichay who will open the tournament along with NCFP secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino, Fide ratings expert and NCFP director Toti Abundo and other top chess officials.

For details, contact NCFP director and tournament chief Willie Abalos at (0921) 6219898 or Ilann Perez at (0915) 5198676.