Kylen Joy Mordido and Jan Jodilyn Fronda hurdled their respective opponents to forge a share of the lead after the fourth round of the 2021 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship at the PACE building in Quezon City yesterday.
Mordido, who is being groomed as the country’s next Woman Grandmaster, crushed 13-year-old Ruelle Canino’s King’s Indian Defense in 37 moves to keep her grip on the lead with three points.
The Dasmarinas, Cavite bet, who needs just the last of three norms to become the country’s second WGM behind Janelle Mae Frayna, was tied at the helm with Fronda, the 2019 titlist, who downed Francois Marie Magpily in 46 moves of a French Defense.
Just half a point behind the pace-setters with 2.5 points each were Frayna, former national champion Shania Mae Mendoza and Olympiad veteran Marie Antoinette San Diego.
The top-seeded Frayna bested Lexie Grace Hernandez in 80 moves of a Pirc Defense and has now scored 2.5 points in the last three rounds to jump back to the title race after succumbing to the younger Canino in the opening round Saturday.
Mendoza halved the point with National University standout Allaney Jia Doroy while San Diego split the point with national team mainstay Bernadette Galas to likewise stay in the hunt for the champion’s prize worth P50,000 and a seat to the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May next year.
In the only other result, Rinoa Mariel Sadey defeated Marian Calimbo in 40 moves of a Benoni to improve to two points.
The event is backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Endgame Sports founder Atty. Cris Aspiras, POC president Bambol Tolentino, NCFP chief Butch Pichay and Atty. Roel Canobas.