Chessers face Canadians, seek Top 20 finish

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines shoots for a victory over 37th seed Canada in the 11th and final round that it hopes will propel it to its goal of a top 20 finish in the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra, John Paul Gomez, Eugene Torre and Jayson Gonzales will finish off the country's campaign in the biennial event by taking on GM Anton Jovalyov, GM Eric Hansen, IM Leonid Gerzhoy and GM Bator Sambuev, respectively.

The Filipinos are somewhere from 38th to 56th place with 12 points and could crash into a share of a place inside the top 20 if they could beat the Canadians.

The Filipinas, for their part, battle Belgium with Chardine Cheradee Camacho, Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Christy Lamiel Bernales clashing with Hanne Goossens, Iuliia Morozova, Wibke Barbier and Sarah Dierckens.

The Phl women's team is tied from 42nd to 56th spot with 11 points.

Gonzales, who is splitting time playing, being men's and women's team captain and National Chess Federation of the Phl executive director, will finish off the Phl's campaign instead of International Master Paulo Bersamina after posting 2.5 points in his three games.

The 62-year-old Torre, who owns the Olympiad record for most number of appearances with 22, should come in fresh after getting a three-day respite.

After 10 games, Sadorra has the best record among the Filipinos with six points on four wins, four draws and two losses.

Gomez and Bersamina have five points each, Torre 4.5 and Gonzales 2.5 points.

And this the Filipinos are doing in the absence of GMs Wesley So, who is changing allegiance and coaching the American men's team, and Oliver Barbosa, who failed to make it due to visa delays.

Fronda has been leading the way for the Filipinas with 7.5 points on six wins, three draws and a setback out of 10 matches while Frayna comes next with six points on five wins, two draws and three defeats.

Perena has 4.5 points, Camacho 3.5 and Bernales a point.