Going up in the world rankings tops the agenda of Filipina grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna this year,
That is why she is hatching plans to go to Europe and compete in top-ranked tournaments.
“We have mapped out plans to go to Europe later this year,” said Frayna after she got a citation during the PSA Awards Night held recently at Le Pavilion in Pasay City.
The Europe trip is next on her bucket list after she sees action in the FIDE Asian Zonal 3,3 Chess Championship for men and women slated Feb.25 to March 5 in Tagaytay City.
The Asian Zonal is part of the FIDE World Championship cycle and will select two players to advance to the World Cup scheduled this September in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Here, the women’s champion will qualify to the Women’s World Championship and World Championship cycle.
At total of $5,000 in cash prizes will be at stake in the Asian Zonal.
Frayna is expected to fight it out with woodpushers from Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Her current 2325 rating has gone up to 2400, and after she officially earned the men’s International Master title she also bagged in Azerbaijan. She got it after defeating International Master Olga Zimina.
She is currently at no. 160, according to the FIDE website.
With more international stints ahead, Frayna hopes to break into the top 100 in the coming years. She is ranked first in the Philippine women’s rankings.
Before going into an international campaign, Frayna first has to focus on her studies since she is a candidate for cum laude in her psychology degree at the Far Eastern University.
The 20-year-old Frayna, who is coached by Jayson Gonzales, is not only prioritizing her studies, she is also undergoing a six-hour formal chess training, aside from cross-training in basketball daily.