WOMAN Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna drew with Woman International Master (WIM) Antoinette Mae San Diego in 57 moves of a Sicilian Rossolimo to stay on course in sweeping the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) national team selection at the PACE in Quezon City on Sunday.
Ms. Frayna, who topped the blitz event on Thursday, was currently tied with Ms. San Diego after the first three of the six-game title showdown, 1.5-1.5, of this event where the winner will represent the country in the rapid section of the Hanoi SEA Games.
Ms. Frayna won the first game in 63 moves of another Siciluan duel while Ms. San Diego struck back in the second game with a 44-move triumph of a Queen’s Pawn London System.
Three more games were being played at press time and Ms. Frayna hopes she ends up the winner again.
If she accomplishes the feat, Ms. Frayna will complete a chess grand slam after topping the National Championships — a standard event — in December last year and the blitz section Thursday.
In the men’s side, IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia was leading GM Darwin Laylo, 2-1.
Mr. Garcia pounced on a time-starved Mr. Laylo in the first game in escaping with a 53-move victory of a King’s Indian Defense and the former repeated over the latter in the second game via a 42-move win of an English Opening.
Mr. Laylo, who eliminated the country’s national standard champion and blitz king IM Daniel Quizon in the semis, bounced back strong by seizing the third game in just 23 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense. — Joey Villar
