RP chessers depart

The 10-man RP chess team leaves for Dresden, Germany today to compete in the 38th World Chess Olympiad slated Nov. 11-27.

GMs Wesley So and Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor banner the men’s squad that includes GMs Jayson Gonzales and Darwin Laylo and IM John Paul Gomez.

Catherine Perena, Shercila Cua, Daisy Rivera, Cheradee Chardine Camacho and Christy Lamiel Bernales make up the women’s team out to improve its 23rd-place finish in the 2006 Olympiad in Turin.

The RP men’s squad struggled to finish 44th two years ago.

The event drew 148 teams in the men’s division and 114 in the women’s category.