Ni Edwin Rollon
ALAM mo ba ang larong Xiangqi?
Tunay na maraming Pinoy ang estranghero sa naturang sports (Chinese chess) kung kaya’t umaasa ang Philippine Xiangqi Federation (PXF) na mapapataas ang kaalaman ng sambayanan sa sports sa gaganaping 15th World Xiangqi Championship sa Nobyembre 14-20 sa Manila Hotel.
Ayon kay PXF president Wilson Tan na mahigit 100 player mula sa 26 bansa ang sasabak sa biennial meet kung saan may kabuuang US40,000 (P5 milyon) ang premyo.
Apat na Pinoy Xiangqi practitioner, sa pangunguna ni Engr. Asi Ching, tanging Pinoy Xiagqi Grandmaster, ang makikipagtagisan ng husay at talas ng kaisipan sa torneo na sanctioned ng World Xiangqi Federation at itinataguyod ng Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF) na itinatag ni philanthropist Jimmy Chan Cuan at pinangagasiwaan ni William Gosiaco at Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) sa pamumuno ni chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez.
“Xiangqi is a 2,500-year-old ancient Chinese game popular all over east Asia. The tournament will boost our effort to introduce the sports in the elite level,” pahayag ni Tan sa isinagawang media launching kahapon sa Pandesal Forum sa Kamuning Bakery Café sa Quezon City.
“The game of Xiangqi is already popular in Chinese schools all over the country. Right now, we are in the process of coordinating with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education so that we can introduce the sports in public schools,” sambit naman ni Cuan.
Ayon kay Tan, ang hosting ng World edition sa bansa ay hindi lamang makatutulong sa programa ng pamahalaan sa turismo bagkus ay magbibigay nang magandang imahe at katatagan sa pagigiong sports-loving ng Pinoy.
“On behalf of the PXF and FCAAF, we thank the Philippine Sports Commission and other supporters for helping the organizers in ensuring the success of the World Championship hosting,” pahayag ni Tan.
Kumpirmado na ring darating sa bansa ang delegasyon ng Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea at Japan.
Iginiit ni Cuan na ang apat na Filipino Xiangqi masters ay may karanasan na rin sa international tournament, tulad ni Engr. Asi Ching na nakalaro sa Munich, Germany noong 2015.
“They are ready. Engr. Asi Ching is one of the most decorated player in Asian stage,” ayon kay Tan.
Malaking tulong din umano ang hosting upang mas makilala ang sports at makabuo ng koponan na isasabak sa 2022 Asian Games sa Hangzhou, China kung saan kabilang ang Xiangqi bilang regular sports.
“The game will be played as regular sports in Asian Games in 2022 and the PXF is now coordinating with the National Olympic Committee to assure that our players will be given the proper support they needed from training, nutrition and exposure. We have a good chance to win an Asiad gold in Xiangqi,” sambit ni Tan.
