Mordido rules Asian Jrs chess

MANILA, Philippines — Kylen Joy Mordido is hoping to follow the footsteps of Janelle Mae Frayna as the country’s next Woman Grandmaster. She is slowly but surely getting there.

Doing the improbable, the 17-year-old Mordido racked up six straight victories and then drew with Indian and fellow Woman International Master Agrawal Vantika in the seventh and final round to rule the rapid side event of the 2019 Asian Juniors Chess Championship in Solo, Indonesia Monday night.

It was a dominating performance for Mordido, seeded eighth in a field of 36, as she finished with 6.5 points, a full point ahead of closest pursuers Vantika and sixth seed Woman FIDE Master Nazerke Nurgali of Kazakhstan.

Mordido, a product of the strong chess program of Dasmariñas Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., will try to carry the momentum of the triumph in the main standard event.

It was another sterling effort for Mordido, who already has collected two of the needed three norms to clinch a WGM title.

IM Daniel Quizon, meanwhile, failed to sustain a strong start after suffering two defeats and ended up tied for sixth to eighth spots with countrymen IM John Marvin Miciano and Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano with 4.5 points each.

Reigning national junior champion Jeth Romy Morado wound up with just three points.