JANELLE Mae Frayna did a Houdini act in surviving Shania Mae Mendoza on Wednesday to seal her an Olympiad seat and pushed her closer from topping the Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship in Malolos, Bulacan.
Pushed in the jaws of defeat after Mendoza uncorked a sacrificial kingside attack, the country’s first and only Woman Grandmaster miraculously escaped with a 29-move win of a Slav that was precipitated by a stunning blunder by the former.
That win, Frayna’s 11th point, booked the Army woman from Bicol one of the three berths to this September’s World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and pushed her a draw away from sealing the crown.
She was tackling Bernadette Galas in the 15th and final round at press time.
If she draws, it will be Frayna’s fourth national crown after her conquests in 2013, 2016 and 2021.
A point off the pace was 18-year-old Ruelle Canino, the last winner of this same event two years ago who was also in a bad position against Vic Derotas but managed to escape with a 41-move draw of a King’s Indian showdown.
Also in hot pursuit of the last two tickets to Samarkand were Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Galas, who each sport 9.5 points.
Fronda halved the point with Maria Lavandero in 52 moves of a Center-Counter duel while Galas agreed to a 52-move standoff with Allaney Jia Doroy of an English encounter in this event financed by host Mayor Christian Natividad and the PSC.
