Top seed Janelle Mae Frayna split the point with third pick Jan Jodilyn Fronda in 40 moves of a Queen’s Pawn opening to cling to the lead after the 10th and penultimate round of the 2021 National Women’s Chess Championship at the PACE building in Quezon City yesterday.
Frayna, 24, has kept her grip of No. 1 with 7.5 points, or just half a point ahead of Shania Mae Mendoza and Kylen Joy Mordido, who downed their respective opponents to stay in the title race.
Mendoza destroyed 13-year-old Ruelle Canino’s Pirc Defense in 44 moves while Mordido, who is close to becoming a Woman Grandmaster like Frayna, use the Sicilian Defense to annihilate Francois Marie Magpily in 36 moves in keeping their share of No. 2.
The title is not yet in the bag for Frayna as she was clashing with Mendoza at press time while Mordido was tackling an unpredictable Mariel Calimbo, who lost to Lexie Hernandez in the 10th round but caught a big fish in No. 4 Marie Antoinette San Diego the round before, also in the last round.
Frayna is seeking her 3rd national women’s crown while Mendoza her second in this event staking P50,000 to the champion and a berth to the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May next year.
For Mordido, she is more focused in gaining rating points here and securing the last of the three norms needed to emerge the country’s second WGM.
Fronda slipped to solo fourth with 6.5 points, or half a point ahead of San Diego, who survived Rino Mariel Sadey’s upset try.
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.