TROMSO, Norway—The Philippine women’s team got its shutout, but the men’s squad fared badly against Austria Friday in the sixth round of the 41st Chess Olympiad here.
Venting their frustrations on the hapless bets from the United Arab Emirates, the Filipino girls notched a 4-0 triumph that lifted Team Philippines’ sagging spirits.
The ray of hope for the Filipinos, however, vanished as they bowed to the Austrians, 1-3, and fell in the standings again in the Open section.
The PH girls climbed to a share of 41st to 53rd places, slightly better than their male counterparts, who dropped into a tie from 50th to 71st midway through the 11-round biennial tournament.
Atoning for their twin lopsided losses to the Spaniards (0-4) and Bulgarians (0.5-3.5), Women International Masters Chardine Cheradee Camacho, Janelle May Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Catherine Perena vanquished their opponents in all four boards.
Camacho, a graduating computer science student at University of Texas at Dallas, downed WIM Kholoud Essa Al-Zarouni; Fronda, a sports studies senior at De La Salle University, whipped Aisha Al-Zarouni; and Perena, assistant coach of the University of the Philippines chess team, drubbed Ali Abeer.
The 18-year-old Frayna, a psychology junior dean’s lister at Far Eastern University, persevered to beat WIM Amna Nouman in board 2 and complete the romp.
Grandmaster Eugene Torre and International Master Paulo Bersamina salvaged draws to stop the Austrians’ rampage after Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra and John Paul Gomez lost in boards 1 and 2.
Handling black, Sadorra, a business administration cum laude graduate of University of Texas at Dallas who intends to return to the Philippines with his wife next year, yielded to Super GM Markus Ragger after 38 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.
Torre, the Filipinos’ top scorer thus far with 4.0 points, forged the draw in 43 moves due to repetition of moves.
Showing promise, 16-year-old Bersamina split the point with Fide Master Pablo Salinas Herrera after 37 moves even as Gomez continued to grope for form and bowed to GM David Shengelia after 29 moves.
Team captain GM Jayson Gonzales, though inactive in tournament play for the past three years, was ready to play for Round 7, but Gomez said he still wants to see action when the Philippines tackles Belgium starting at 2 p.m. (8 p.m. in Manila) at Mackhallen Hall.
Other matches pit Sadorra against GM Luc Winants, Torre againts IM Tanguy Ringoir and Bersamina against IM Stefan Docs.
Gomez, a mechanical engineering graduate of De La Salle, is the Philippines’ top scorer in the 2008 Dresden (Germany) Olympiad where he tallied 7.5 points in 11 games.
While the Filipinos, ranked 52nd among 174 teams in the Open section, face another tough fight against the Belgians, seeded 44th, their female counterparts, ranked 43rd among 137 women teams, are favored over the No. 59 Egyptians.
Camacho will face WGM Khaled Mona, Frayan will meet WGM Shrook Wafa, Fronda will tackle WIM Ayan Moaataz while Perena will tangle with WFM Sohayla Abdelmenaem.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero “Butch” Pichay, met with the players over breakfast Saturday.
Asian Zone 3.3 president and NCFP secretary general Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is also planing here to run for secretary general of the International Chess Federation (Fide) in the elections slated Monday.