Grandmasters Mark Paragua and Banjo Barcenilla will spearhead the Philippine team seeing action in the Asian Nationals Online Chess Cup 2020 slated October 10 to 25.

Paragua and Barcenilla will man the top two boards for the squad while International Master Paulo Bersamina, GM John Paul Gomez and IM Haridas Pascua the third, fourth and fifth board, respectively.

The women’s squad is composed of Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza, WIM Bernadette Galas and WIM Kylen Joy Mordido.

“Our national coaches made the selection,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines executive director Cliburn Orbe referring to GMs Eugene Torre (men) and Jayson Gonzales (women), who were also named non-playing captains.

“These are basically the same ones that we wound have sent to Moscow for the Olympiad had it not been postponed,” he added.

Paragua had been the consistent top Filipino performer of late having won many online tournaments including the first Philippine Bullet Championship while Barcenilla has topped the last two Battle of the GMs including the last one a couple of months ago.

Barcenilla, however, gave up his top board slot to Paragua in the FIDE Online Olympiad where the country’s failed to get past the second division.