PH chess teams hit snag in Baku

TEAM Philippines got derailed in the seventh round of the 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday.

The men’s team, despite Grandmaster Eugene Torre’s amazing showing, yielded to Italy, 1.5-2.5, while the women’s squad bowed to eighth seed Hungary, 1-3, pulling them down in the standings with four rounds to go in the biennial meet.

Torre downed Axel Rombaldoni on board three while GM Julio Catalino Sadorra drew with GM Daniele Vocaturo on board one, pushing the Filipinos ahead, 1.5-0.5.

The Filipinos’ joy turned out to be short-lived, however, as GMs John Paul Gomez and Rogelio Barcenilla Jr. lost to GMs Danyyil Dvirnyy and Sabino Brunello, on boards two and four, leaving the Filipinos with 9.0 match points in the Open division being led by the United States with 13.

The Americans, parading Philippine-born GM Wesley So, trounced the Indians, 3-1, in their top board encounter.

WIM Janelle Mae Frayna, spearhead of the women’s team, held the advantage against GM Hoang Thanh Trang, a Vietnamese emigre, but blundered late in the game to absorb her first defeat after three wins and three draws.

WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda stunned IM Szidonia Lazarne Vajda on board two, but Christy Lamiel Bernales was beaten by WGM Ticia Gara on board three and so did WIM Catherine Secopito ion by IM Anita Gara on board four.

The women’s squad fell to 29th place from 17th, faring slightly better than the men’s team which dropped to 34th from 19th. Roy Luarca