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All eyes on Manila Indios

Julio Catalino Sadorra
Sadorra: Top board for Manila.

THE Manila Indios Bravos hope to deliver a strong performance when the 2021 Professional Chess Associaiton of the Philippines (PCAP) First Conference finally comes off the wraps on Jan. 16.

The team will be bannered by United States-based GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, IM John Marvin Miciano, IM Angelo Young, IM Cris Ramayrat and WCM Mira Mirano.

Sadorra is presently the country’s highest-rated player with an ELO of 2564.

The 34-year-old Filipino champion, who earned his GM title in 2011 while pursuing his studies at theUniversity of Texas-Dallas, will play the top board for the Indios Bravos in the inaugural tournament of the country’s first-ever professional chess league.

The Bacoor, Cavite-born Sadorra has represented the country as top board player in the World Chess Olympiad in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Sadorra will be backstopped by Miciano, one of the country’s newest IMs; long-time Chicago resident Young; and Ramayrat.

Both Young and Ramayrat are among the country’s veteran players, while Miciano is one of the country’s brighetst young campaigners.

Ramayrat is ranked No. 21 in the country with an ELO of 2331; Young is ranked No. 23 with an ELO of 2321; and Miciano is rated No.25 with ELO of 2316.

Mirano was the team captain of UAAP women’s team champion La Salle in 2018.

A native of Aklan, the 23-year-old Mirano has represented the country in several age-group competitions in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand from 2007-2017.

She is also one of the leading members of the United Queen’s Chess Club.

PCAP founding president-commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria said players are expected to apply for professional chess license with the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham ”Baham” Mitra.

Deadline for application for professional license is on opening day, Jan. 16.

Elauria also said he expects all 24 PCAP member-teams to finalize the contracts of their respective players before the PCAP opening.