Frayna plays foe to draw, nears Philippine women's chess title

MANILA, Philippines – Janelle Mae Frayna battled Jan Jodilyn Fronda to a 40-move draw of a Queen’s Pawn duel in the 10th and final round Thursday and went on the verge of topping the 2021 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championships at the PACE in Quezon City.

The standoff kept the 24-year-old Frayna at the helm with 7.5 points but her one point lead before the round was cut to just a half point by Kylen Joy Mordido and Shania Mendoza, who blasted separate foes.

Mordido, who is being groomed to become the country’s second Woman Grandmaster next to Frayna, used the Sicilian Defense to flatten Francois Marie Magpily in 36 moves while Mendoza pulverized 13-year-old wunderkind Ruelle Canino’s Pirc Defense in 44 moves to breathe life to their title hopes.

Both Mordido and Mendoza have seven points.

Frayna and Mendoza, who were former Far Eastern University teammates, were battling each other at press time while Mordido was facing off with a dangerous Mariel Calimbo also in the last round.

Frayna, an Army Woman from Bicol, is gunning for her third national women’s crown after she reigned supreme in the same event in 2013 and 2016.

If she could accomplish the feat, Frayna would pocket the top prize worth P50,000 and the lone seat to the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May next year.

Fronda dropped to No. 4 with 6.5 points while Marie Antoinette San Diego, who outlasted Rinoa Mariel Sadey in 48 moves of yet another Sicilian encounter.

In other results, Bernadette Galas drew with Allaney Jia Doroy and Lexie Hernandez bested Calimbo.

The event is backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Endgame Sports founder Atty. Cris Aspiras, POC president Bambol Tolentino, NCFP chief Butch Pichay and Atty. Roel Canobas.