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MANILA, Philippines —  People frowned on the decision by Philippine women’s team coach, Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, a month ago when he decided to put Mhage Sebastian, an untitled Olympiad debutant, on top board where she would face the best lady chess players in the planet.

Why put someone who has no Olympiad experience in the toughest board assignment of all?

But that unbendable faith has now paid dividends as the 24-year-old Flora, Apayao native and Far Eastern U star came through anew in lifting the Philippines to a smashing 3.5-.5 win over Kyrgyzstan in the seventh round of the 46th World Chess Olympiad at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan Wednesday night.