PH finds daily highlight in Chess Olympiad

Janelle Mae Frayna in action during the Chess Olympiad. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BUDAPEST—Through seven rounds of the 45th Fide (International Chess Federation) Chess Olympiad at BOK Sports Hall here, it was clear that finishing high above the standings would be a tough task for the men’s and women’s teams representing the Philippines.

One thing, however, remains constant.

Through the ups and downs of the squads’ campaign here, there will always be a Filipino bet coming through with a story worth being retold.

On Wednesday, that story belonged to Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna, who carved out a 66-move English victory over Argentina’s Maria Jose Campos that helped push the women’s team into the top 20 and cushion the blow of the sliding men’s squad.

READ: Chess Olympiad: PH men momentum halted by loss to Armenia

Frayna’s triumph highlighted a 2.5-1.5 upset of Argentina and made up for the 3.5-.5 beating the men received from Croatia.

“My approach is just to stay solid and calm,” Frayna said.

Ruelle Canino first came through for the Philippines, stunning WGM Claudia Amura, the Argentines’ former top board player, in 39 moves of another English showdown at board four.

READ: Sadorra pulls off chess stunner in Philippines’ upset of Slovenia

Shania Mae Mendoza then blew her winning chances in a defeat to WGM Candela Francisco Guecamburu at board one, but Jan Jodilyn Fronda showed nerves of steel in splitting the point with Anapaola Borda Rodas at board three that knotted the count at 1.5.

That was when Frayna delivered the coup de grace at board three.

The result earned the country an eighth-round duel with 16th seed Turkiye for a chance at reclaiming its place in the top 10 of this 11-round tournament.

“It gets tougher and tougher from here on pero laban lang,” said national women’s team coach Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.

The men’s side lost Croatia and fell to a tie at No. 44 with eight points. They face South Africa next.