Mendoza up; Garcia joint chess leader

INTERNATIONAL Master Jan Emmauel Garcia and Woman Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza hurdled their respective fourth round opponents yesterday to boost their title bids in the JAPFA Asean Chess Championship 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 17-year-old Mendoza bested Indonesian WFM Dita Karenza to grab the solo lead in the Women’s division while Garcia beat IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar to share top spot in the Open division.

Mendoza raised her total to 3.5 points, towing fellow Far Eastern University standout WIM Janelle Mae Frayna and Vietnamese Woman Grandmaster Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, both with 3.0 points.

Frayna, the country’s top women player, drew with Malaysian Woman Candidate Master Hisham Nur Nabila Azman while Nguyen also split the point with Indonesian WFM Dewi Ardhiani Anastasia Citra.

Garcia, stalwart of Ateneo de Manila University, was at 3.0 points in the company of Malaysian FM Li Tian Yeoh, who agreed to a truce with Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto.

GM Darwin Laylo yielded to Indonesian IM Winshand Cuhendi Sean and remained at 1.5 points.

WIM Bernadette Galas trounced Indonesian Amanda Suci Fitriyani to stay in contention in the Women’s division with 2.5 points.