Philippine chessers progress to Top Division

MANILA, Philippines — Darwin Laylo smashed fellow Grandmaster Bin-Sattar Reefat in just 29 moves of a Queen’s Indian Defense to highlight the Philippines’ 5-5-.5 demolition of Bangladesh and entry straight to the Top Division in the 2021 FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Saturday.

Woman International Master Jan Jodilyn Fronda, IM Michael Concio Jr., Ma. Elayza Villa and Jersey Marticio accounted for the other wins with IM Paulo Bersamina splitting the point with GM Ziaur Rahman as the Filipinos finished tied for first with the Indonesians in Pool A with 16 match points.

But the Filipinos wound up as No. 2 in the group with a lower tiebreak, 39.5-40.5.

Shenzen-China took the third and last slot with 13 points.

It was a better finish for the country after getting stranded in Division 2 and missed the cut last year.

The Philippines overpowered Kyrgyzstan, 6-0, in the seventh round and Shenzen-China, 4-2, in the eighth.

WGM Janelle Mae Frayna starred in their win over the Chinese as she upset GM Zhao Xue, the highest female player in the division with a rating of 2442, in a 53-move masterpiece of an English duel.