WONDER girl Ruelle Canino smashed Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian to reclaim the solo lead after seven rounds of the Philippine National Chess Championships dubbed “The Battle of Women’s Masters” at the City Hall of Malolos, Bulacan on Friday.
The win was the 15-year-old Cagayan de Oro lass’ sixth out of the possible seven that catapulted her back at the helm after momentarily losing it after being stopped on her tracks by Woman Grandmaster-candidate Kylen Joy Mordido in the fifth round Wednesday.
With four rounds to go, it also put the many-time Asian Age Group champion in strong position to claim a spot to the Asian Indoor Martial Games in Bangkok, Thailand this November, one of the three slots to the FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary this September and the top purse worth P85,000 courtesy of host Malolos City Mayor Atty. Christian Natividad.
Half a point behind with 5.5 points was erstwhile co-leader Woman International Master Jan Jodilyn Fronda, who was stalled by an upset draw with unheralded Jarel Renz Lacambra in this 12-player, 11-round event organized by the NCFP and backed by the PSC and POC.
Mordido slipped to third from a share of first with 4.5 points after scoring just half a point in the last two rounds including a seventh-round draw with Woman FIDE Master Cherry Ann Mejia.
At fourth with four points each were WFM Shania Mae Mendoza, Mejia and resurgent WGM Janelle Mae Frayna.
After a horrendous start, the top-seeded Frayna has come back to life by scoring 3.5 points in the last five rounds including two straight wins over Mordido and Mendoza in the last two.