Olympiad veteran International Master Paulo Bersamina and reigning Asian Age Group champion and runner-up IM John Marvin Miciano and Daniel Quizon will spearhead the country’s bid in the premier under-20 division of the 19th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championship set June 19 to 28 at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City.
The 19-year-old Bersamina, who was part of the PH Olympiad team in Tromso, Norway in 2014 and Baku, Azerbaijan two years ago, is expected to arrive today in Davao City fresh from his failed Olympiad bid in the Grand Finals of the Olympiad qualifier dubbed “Road to Batumi” a few days back.
He will be joined by Miciano and Quizon, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Asian Age Group tilt in Chang Mai, Thailand last April, along with Far Eastern University’s Jeth Romy Morado and John Merill Jacutina and Rhenzki Kyle Sevillano.
Shania Mae Mendoza, who topped the women’s division of the Olympiad qualifier, will carry the torch for the country’s team in the 20-under girls’ side alongside Kylen Joy Mordido.
The host nation is seeking to duplicate, if not surpass, the PH’s effort in the 18th staging of the annual tournament in Kuantan, Malaysia last year when it crowned itself overall champion with an impressive haul of 83 gold, 37 silver and 29 bronze medals.
James Infiesto of the organizing Chess Events International said he expects a tougher and more exciting tournament with about 300 players from 10 countries, including Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, South Korea, Denmark and Switzerland.
“We will be fielding in our best of the best to make the country proud,” said Infiesto, who will also be the deputy of tournament director Ignatius Leong.
The nine-day event, which is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the PH under Butch Pichay, have drawn the support President Duterte, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and the Department of Education.
The event is staking IM and FIDE master titles and the bragging rights as the best in the region.