Bitoon rips Frayna, wrests solo lead

MANILA, Philippines – Grandmaster Richard Bitoon got back at last year’s tormentor Woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna, scoring a 43-move victory to grab the solo lead in the 2015 Battle of Grandmasters-National Chess Championship at the Philippine Sports Commission Athletes Dining Hall at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Frayna, then 18, outplayed Bitoon to finish fourth in last year’s edition of this annual tournament among the country’s leading masters but the latter atoned for that setback with a crucial win in their Reversed Hedgehog match late Thursday, grabbing the solo lead in the process after erstwhile co-leader GM Joey Antonio drew a bye in the ninth round.

The Cebuano ace now has 12 points with Antonio stalled at 10 in a tie with Haridas Pascua.