THE 2021 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP)-GM Wesley So Cup chess championship is expected to showcase several young and battle-tested foreign players from Asia, Americas and Europe.

Easily the more prominent imports are GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia, who was recruited as import by Iloilo Kisela Knights; GM Alexandr Fier of Brazil, who was taken in by the Zamboanga Sultans; GM Amir Bagheri of Iran, who was tapped by the Toledo City Trojans; and FM Justus Williams of the United States, who was taken in by the Iriga City Oragons.

The Mindoro Tamaraws will take their chances with Fruzsina Szente-Varga of Hungary.

Gabuzyan is currently ranked No. 14 in Armenia and No. 316 in the world with an ELO of 2590.

He earned his GM title in 2012 at the age of 17.

The 26-year-old native of Yerevan rose to prominence by winning the 77th Armenian Chess Championship in 2017 and 81st Armenian Chess Championship in 2021.

“GM Hovhannes will be playing either Board 1 or Board 2 depending on the opponent. Whichever board, I don’t see any issues in him delivering a win,” said Iloilo team owner Leo Sotaridona.

“Being the most recent Armenian champion speaks loudly of his strength. We would love for his winning streak to continue with us in the Wesley So Cup,” added the United States-based Sotaridona.

Joining Gabuzyan are GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. , Karl Victor Ochoa, CFM Cherry Ann Meija, NMs Cesar Mariano, John Michael Silvederio, Fritz Bryan Porras and Giovanni Meija, Dennis Bernas, Gil Libutaque, Fiona Guirhem and Mark Jossel Mariano.

Fier, who achieved his GM title in 2007 at the age of 19, is also currently ranked No. 3 player in Brazil with an ELO of 2569.

A regular fixture on Brazilian national chess team, the 33-year-old has also competed in five Chess World Cups.

Married to WGM Nino Maisuradze of Georgia, Fier is also considered one of the best chess players in Latin America.

Fier’s entry, coupled with the transfer of forrmer Manila Indios player IM Angelo Young is expected to boost the chances of the Sultans.

Former Asian Senior champion IM Chito Garma and Zamboanga owner and homegrown standout Zulfikar Sali will continue to lead the team, which finished fourth in the Southern division

A three-time World Chess Olympiad veteran in 1998, 2000 and 2008, Bagheri was the second Iranian to become a grandmaster.

“We are blessed to have GM Amir on board. He will strengthen our team both mentally and psychologically,” said Atty. Jean Gacang of Toledo City.

Atty. Gacang said the 42-year-old Bagheri was one of several players who immediately responded when contacted by team manager Felix Poloyapoy Jr. and team captain, Bonn Rainnauld Tibod.

“He has a good impression of Filipinos and particularly Cebuanos. He joined a tournament a few years ago that was held in Cebu,” she added.

Bagheri, who now lives in France, will have no trouble adjusting to the playing schedule since the former’s time zone in only six hours behind.

Toledo finished fifth in the elimination round of the PCAP Southern Confernce and upset fouth-seed Zamboanga City Sultans in the quarterfinals.

The Trojans, however, lost to the Iloilo Kisela Knights.

Bagheri will join IM Rico Mascarinas Jr., Rommel Ganzon, Rogelio Enriquez Jr., Richard Natividad, Ronald Ganzon, Christopher Tubalado, Glicerio Pardillo, and Jinky Catulay in the Toledo line-up.

Williams, who hails from the Bronx in New York holds the record as the youngest African-American to earn an NM title at the age of 12.

He is also best remembered a 14-year-old who defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in a casual match.

He also oversaw a chess tournament inside the St. Louis Missouri County Justice Center where over 100 inmates participated in the program. In the last all-Filipino, Iriga finished 12th place with a 4-30 record.

Joining Williams in the team are newcomer Nelman Lagutin, Johnlyn Buenaventura, Roger Pesimo, Joeven Polsotin, Emil Valeza, and team captain NM Glennen Artuz.

Szente-Varga, who achieved a WGM norm in 2014, had top finishes in Hungarian and European competition.

The pretty 25-year-old Hungarian will see action in either the open or the lady boards for Mindoro.

“Aside from being a very good chess player, Fruzsi, possesses beauty — attributes of talent and beauty that the province of Mindoro possesses,” said team manager Emmanuel Asi.

Szente-Varg and US-based NM Rainer Labay will take up the fight for a Mindoro team which earlier lost its top three player in FM David Elorta, Sherwin Tiu and IM Domingo Ramos, who have trasnferred to a team in the Northern division

The only holdovers from the Tamaraws squad that competed in the All-Filipino Cup are lady player Michella Concio, homegrown players Ronald Berdera, Richard Allen Sicangco, and AGM and team manager Emmanuel Asi.

Former La Salle Greenhills basketball coach Justin Tan is the team’s new owner.

The PCAP-Wesley So Cup will kick off on Saturday, May 15.

The participating teams in the Northern Conference, along with Laguna Heroes, San Juan Predators, Caloocan Load Manna Knights, Manila Indios Bravos, Rizal Towers, Cavite Spartans, Pasig Pirates, Antipolo Cobras, Isabela Knight Raiders, Olongapo Rainbow, Cagayan Kings and Quezon City Simba’s Tribe.

In the Southern Conference are Camarines Soaring Eagles, Iloilo Kisela Knights, Negros Kingsmen, Zamboanga Sultans, Toledo City Trojans, Lapu-Lapu City Naki Warriors, Mindoro Tamaraws, Cordova Dagami Warriors, Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, Cebu Ciy Machers, Palawan Queen’s Gambits and Iriga City Oragons,

PCAP is headed by President-Commissioner Atty Paul Elauria and Chairman Michael Angelo Chua.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra.