THE Philippines will have a shot at replicating, if not eclipsing, its impressive bronze medal effort in the inaugural Chess Olympiad for People with disabilities two years ago in Belgrade, Serbia.
This after FIDE, the sport’s governing body, recently awarded one of the 34 spots to the Filipinos in the second edition of this biennial meet scheduled Oct. 19-26 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
“We hope to make the country proud again,” said ASEAN and Asian Para Games gold medalist Henry Lopez, who was part of that national squad that shocked the world with that sensational podium finish in the Serbian capital.
Also with Lopez in that historic moment were FIDE Master Sander Severino, a former world champion for people with physical disability, Darry Bernardo, Cheyzer Mendoza and playing team captain James Infiesto.
Poland ruled the event while IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association) took the silver.
The meet will gather the planet’s top chessers with visual, hearing, and physical impairments with each team consisting of four players including at least one female representative plus one captain/reserve. — Joey Villar
