Andaya's literary venture on chess journalism

As I've stated before, chess journalism in the Philippines is experiencing a big crisis. But here's an interesting article about Wesley So by one of the country's premier chess journalist, Ed Andaya "Now, here's a player to admire". Although I find it too iconic, almost reaching the level of fanaticism, it's the literary touch, the diversion to the usual one-sided and stagnant kind of chess journalism we had in the country that caught my attention and draw me to read the entire article. It's just exactly the another kind of chess journalism that I'm looking for all these years. It was a breath of fresh air. Good to see that Mr Andaya is not afraid of bridging the line of two opposing force that is the facts of journalism and the complexity of literature.

YOU'RE now the second-best chess player in the country if you're last name is Torre or Gomez or Paragua or Antonio or Laylo or Gonzales or Villamayor.

Or whatever.

You're now the second-best chess player in the country, and playing the thinking man's game, you 've missed the winning combination at endgame under time pressure, while he breezesd through it almost effortlessly.

You're the second-best chess player in the country and you thought you're popular enough, and when the girl next to you finds out you're a player and she asks you if you know him.

And ask you what's he really like?

And how young he really is?

And how good he really is?

You're the second-best chess player in the country, and when you arrive at the tournament, everybody tells you how exciting it will be because he will actually play here this week.

And, you're the second -best chess player in the country and nobody even cares anymore when was the last time you actually won a major tournament.

Or where you came from.

Or where you live.

Or where you studied in college.

Or when you learned to play chess?

Or, for that matter, what's your favorite chess opening..."


"...It's just Wesley So now.

The rest of you are there as mere supporting cast, just like in the countless Fernando Poe and Robin Padilla movies where the others are there simply because the script calls for it.

In a country with a long and rich history of this royal game, chess is now a two-letter word and it is spelled S-O.

And this is the way it's going to be for many more years to come.

Now, it's your move.

Please read the rest of of the article at journal.com so this blog won't end up as a copy paste one :)