Singapore International Chess Festival 2009

Sixteen youthful Filipino chessers will banner the Philippine flag at the 2009 Singapore Challenger chess tournament which will take place in Singapore from December 10 to 14.

The tournament is part of the Singapore International Chess Festival 2009 which also features the Commonwealth Open Chess Championship and the Commonwealth Age Group Chess Championships.

Eleven of this RP contingent were originally supposed to fight for the country's pride and honor at the 2009 World Youth Chess Championship in Antalya, Turkey in November, namely:

GIRLS
GU8 DOCENA Jesca
GU10 REVITA Samantha Glo
GU12 MIRANO Mira
GU14 ENRIQUEZ Jean Karen
GU16 BERNALES Cristy Lamiel
GU18 DOCENA Jedara

BOYS
BU8 PANGILINAN Stephen Rome
BU10 MORADO Jeth Romy
BU12 BERSAMINA Paulo
BU16 DATU Alcon John
BU18 TURQUEZA Mari Joseph

(RP's reigning Boys Under-14 ruler Jan Emmanuel Garcia is not in the list of participants.)

The much awaited WCC campaign, however, blew in the air like a toy balloon due to lack of financial support from the government.

And so, the 11 reigning age-group champions of the country will just instead carry the country's flag in this international event which drew 91 participants from 11 countries (Australia, England, Hongkong, Indonesia, India, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Singapore, and Sweden).

In addition to RP's 11 reigning age-group champions, five more Filipino players will join the RP contingent. They are Charmaine Perit, Mark James Marcellana, Neri Wilfredo, and Shania Mae Mendoza. Notably, NCFP Director Wilfredo Abalos is listed as participant in the Challengers Category.

I have a friend who is now in Singapore to attend a FIDE Trainers' Seminar. Hopefully, he provides us impressions and photos of his stay there.

Good luck to our players!! Bring home the honors!!