JANELLE MAE FRAYNA and Jan Jodilyn Fronda, two of the country’s top players, came into their fourth round duel expecting fireworks.
Nothing popped though as Mses. Frayna and Fronda settled for a quick, timid 26-move draw of a Petroff showdown that didn’t alter the Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship (PNWCC) landscape that much after four rounds in Malolos, Bulacan.
That kept Ms. Frayna unflappable at No. 1 with 3.5 points, which was wrapped by three straight victories to start the grinding 15-round tournament dubbed as the “Battle of Women’s Masters” and supported by host city Mayor Christian Natividad and the Philippine Sports Commission.
For Ms. Fronda, she stayed at No. 2 with three points alongside fellow national team staple Bernadette Galas, who also drew her duel with Cherry Ann Mejia in 31 moves of an English showdown.
The duel was far from Ms. Fronda’s daredevil style of play that saw her pulling off a pair of Houdini Acts — one against reigning national champion Ruelle Canino in which she clawed back from the grave and escaped with a draw and another against Allaney Jia Doroy where she was a pawn down before turning it into a miraculous win.
Ms. Canino, slowed down by a draw and a stinging defeat in her first two outings, got back into contention with two wins in a row including a 38-move triumph over Queen Pamplona in 38 moves of a Queen’s Indian duel.
All 16 participants are hoping to snare one of the three berths to the World Chess Olympiad this September in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. — Joey Villar
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