Frayna nasikwat ang unahang puwesto (2013 Battle of the GM)

NAKOPO ni Janelle Mae Frayna ang unahang puwesto matapos mapuwersa ng tabla si  Jean Karen Enriquez sa 79 moves ng  English Opening sa fifth round ng 2013 Battle of the Grandmaster Chess Championships Miyerkoles ng gabi sa Philippine Sports Commission Conference Room, Administration Bldg., Vito Cruz, Manila.

Nabigo naman ang kanyang overnight co-leader Woman International Master Beverly Mendoza na makadikit sa kanya (Frayna) matapos matalo  kay WIM Bernadette Galas sa 38 moves ng French defense.

“Talagang tabla po ang laban,” sabi ni  Frayna.

Tangan ni Frayna ang 13.5 points habang napako si Mendoza sa12.0 points.

“The event is using the Torre-Pichay scoring system, a method formulated by Torre and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr. where a win is equivalent to three points, a draw is 1.5 points, a loss is zero, and a stalemate is 2.0 for the last player to make a move and 1.0 to the player who can no longer make a move,” sabi ng organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Panalo si last year’s champion WIM Catherine Perena kay WFM Jedara Docena, dinaig ni Lucelle  Bermundo  si Ynna   Sophia Canape, umibabaw si WFM Rulp Ylem Jose kay Villa Mae Cabrera, binasura ni Arvie Lozano si Gladys Hazelle Romero at tabla si WFM  Cherry Ann Mejia  kay  WFM Shania  Mae Mendoza sa iba pang resulta.

Ang torneong ito ay inorganisa ng National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), sa gabay nina chairman/president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. at  secretary-general  Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr., sa pakikipagtulungan ng Philippine Sports Commisison (PSC), sa pangunguna ni chairman  Ricardo “Richie” Garcia at ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) sa magiting na pamumuno ni president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco.

Si NCFP  executive director  GM  Jayson  Gonzales  ang   tournament director, habang si IA  Gene Poliarco ang chief arbiter.

Sa men’s play ay nakipaghatian ng puntos si GM John Paul Gomez kontra kay 12-time national open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. sa 21 moves ng Caro-Kann defense para manatili sa ituktok ng liderato na may 13.5 points.

Nasa ika-2 puwesto si Antonio na may 10.5 points mula sa two wins at three draws.

Nanaig si GM Richard Bitoon kontra kay defending champion GM Mark Paragua sa 37 moves ng Sicilian defense tungo sa nine points mula  three wins and two losses.

May nine points din sina US based GM Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla, GM Oliver Barbosa at IM Joel Pimentel.

Tabla si Barcenilla kay Pimentel sa 84 moves ng Queen’s Gambit Accepted habang angat si Barbosa kay IM Emmanuel Senador sa 64 moves ng Queen’s Pawn Game.

(Lovely Icao)