More firing from Philippine Media
It is common to read fantastic praise heaped on Pinoy players in the newspapers but here's one article that takes the opposite approach:-
RP chess squad doomed from the start
Our team to the Dresden Chess Olympiad was doomed even before it left. Its composition—from a faulty national qualifying system—and board assignments were pitiful.
Top officials of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), led by Prospero Pichay and Abraham Tolentino, could not be persuaded to include veteran Grandmaster Eugene Torre in the lineup, and that presaged the sorry campaign of our team, once a board terror in previous Olympiads.
Torre could have held his own on board one against the chess heavyweights, and strikers, like GMs Joey Antonio and Wesley So plus International Master John Paul Gomez, could have gathered vital points in the lower boards. As it is, the team was reduced to being a mere scavenger picking up crumbs from the cruiserweights in the field.
Full article by NM Sammy Estimo of the Philippine Daily Enqurer HERE.
Philippine chess bomb at youth level?
Anonymous said... That is the problem in the Philippines. Politicians want to gain publicity so they go for big events. I do not see any problem with big events but where is the program for the scholastic or youth chess? If this country can produce the same money to develop chess and hosts events for the youths,then hosting big events like this can be justified.
Result? A disaster finish by the RP team in the chess olympiad.
Philippine chess officials should stop promoting chess by advertisements. They should promote chess from the grassroots.
Monday, November 24, 2008 6:30:00 PM CST
Anonymous said... Where do you think the young talents, the new Philippine GMs come from?
They come from exposure to big local events where their talents are developed from international exposure.
The disaster finish is not at all the end of Philippine chess. That is how the young GMs learn and gain experience and become stronger, which the Philippines will, in the next few years.
More important, is the opportunity of ALL aspiring chess talent to be able to play and get their IM and GM norms, in Pichay's leadership.
That was not the case during Campo's reign, where he would just pick and promote a few of his privileged players. Torre was his only so called only "manok" who did well. But Torre was a self made talent. Like Balinas, who gained the GM title despite Campo's ill treatment.
We had other Filipino talents who left during Campo's reign. IM Barcenilla who supposedly got his GM norm in New York, but did not get the favors of Toti Abundo and Campo. And IM Enrico Sevillano, who graced the November 2008 Chess Life cover as the current U.S. Open Champion.
Campo single handedly repressed Philippine chess development in his over 50 years of so his called "chess leadership." What a sham.
China, India, Vietnam is far ahead of the Philippines.
But Campo did well for himself, did'nt he? The honorary swindler.
Monday, November 24, 2008 8:39:00 PM CST
Anonymous said... Campomanaes is goddess. Because of he FIDE is popular and chess is world sport. He likes president Ilumzinow.
Monday, November 24, 2008 11:31:00 PM CST
Anonymous said... Campo sux big time. Pinoy journalism also.
subious
Monday, November 24, 2008 11:33:00 PM CST
Anonymous said... I am not praising Campomanes either, I am just saying that grassroots development in the Philippines still has to be realized.
Fifty years of Campo and another 2 decades of post Campomanes era, Philippines Youth Chess has still no regular tournament calendar except for the age group qualifying tournament to determine the delegates to the world youth championships. Kids from the different regions of the country has no provincial/regional/national events on a regular basis where they can develop their chess skills.
I guess hosting big events are good but there is not much plan outhere for youth development.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 12:02:00 AM CST
Anonymous said... Also Ed, as much as you are promoting philippine chess in your article, you sounds (at least to me) like you are also promoting your congressman Pichay.
This kind of things I say that really is a sad part of Philippine journalism.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 12:07:00 AM CST
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