Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 7) – The Philippine chess team is seeking to bounce back from their fruitless performance three years ago in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
The Filipino woodpushers failed to bag any medal in the 2019 SEA Games held at home soil in Subic Bay, Zambales. They brought home a gold in online chess, a demonstration event, which is not counted in the medal table.
“The 2019 SEAG is unfortunate that the events created at that time were not suited for the country’s Filipino players,” national chess team head coach Jayson Gonzales told CNN Philippines.
The last time the Philippine chess team won a gold in SEA Games was in 2011, courtesy of prodigy Wesley So.
Gonzales emphasized the medal drought motivates his players to perform well in the biennial sporting competition.
“The mindset and goal is to win the gold with great determination and confidence knowing that their training and preparation is awesome, if not superb, especially the women’s team,” Gonzales said.
The national team mentor stated that amid the pandemic, the Filipino woodpushers are training in virtual sessions to master the principles and techniques of endgame and middle game.
“By the second quarter of this year, the daily regimen and preparation is studying the opening theories and variations from white and black point of view as well as the daily physical exercises,” said Gonzales.
The country’s first female grandmaster Janelle Frayna leads the 10-man Philippine chess team in Vietnam along with fellow grandmasters Darwin Laylo and John Paul Gomez.
International masters Paulo Bersamina, Jodilyn Fronda, Bernadette Galas, Emmanuel Garcia, Shania Mendoza, Daniel Quizon, and Antoinette San Diego complete the cast of Filipino woodpushers aiming to redeem their place in the region.
The 31st SEA Games chess tournament is slated from May 10 to 21.
