The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Grandmaster Joey Antonio is keen on participating in four more international tournaments this year.
Antonio, with an ELO rating of 2465, has recently competed in the Asian Zonal 3.3 Chess Championship held in Tagaytay City Convention Center where he lost to eventual champion Malaysian Li Tian Yeoh in the fifth round.
“Maganda ‘yung first four rounds ko, three points out of four games. Pero nung fifth round against Yeoh, I lost in a drawish position. That was the time na hindi na ako naka-recover,” said the 55-year-old Antonio in an interview on Monday.
The Asian Zonals is a nine-round tournament which served as qualifying for the two men who will compete in the World Cup slated September in Tbilisi, Georgia (September 2-28) and the women’s champion booking a slot in the Women’s World Championship.
After the Asian Zonals, Antonio wants to compete in the HD Bank tournament in Vietnam (March 11-17), Malaysian Open (March 17-22), Asian Seniors in Auckland, New Zealand (October 9-15) and World Senior Championship in Acqui Terme, Italy (November 6-20).
Antonio, who earned his grandmaster title in 1993, stressed that the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) has a good program but there is a need to have more tournaments, especially for the masters.
“Siguro, yun ang kulang sa NCFP na magkaroon ng maraming tournaments dito sa atin lalo na sa mga masters katulad namin. Sana magkaroon ng team tournament kagaya ng Bundesliga sa Europe na kung saan ang mga masters ay naglalaban,” said Antonio, a many-time member of the Philippine Chess Olympiad team.
He also noted the appointment of GM Eugene Torre as mentor of the national team.
“I think maganda ang chess ngayon dahil si GM Eugene Torre na ang bagong coach ng Philippine team. Mas alam nya ang pangangailangan ng mga players natin,” said Antonio, a veteran of the 2007 World Cup.
Antonio, who finished third at the 2009 Asian Continental Chess Championship, also expressed his gratitude to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
“Napakaganda ng suporta ni PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez sa chess. Napakaraming plano ng PSC para sa development ng chess dito sa bansa. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako kay Chairman Ramirez dahil sa pagtulong sa mga atletang kagaya ko, hindi lamang sa chess at sa ibang sports,” said Antonio, who hails from Calapan, Mindoro. PNA