PHL opens ASEAN Chess campaign with a win
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Dec 2015
The Philippines breezed past Indonesia, 2-1, in the opening day of the women's division pay of the Third ASEAN/JAPFA Chess Championships Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Women's International Master and the country's no. 1 disstaf pawnpusher Janelle Mae Frayna led the Filipina's impressive start by taking advantage of host Indonesian Shanti Nur Abidah to emerge victorious in their Italian Game.
Abidah miscalculated a simple combination right in the opening phase of her encounter with the Filipina WIM and paid dearly for the miscue as Frayna, playing black took a pawn as a result on the way to an easy win.
Women's Fide Master Shanai Mae Mendoza, the 2015 World Schools titlist, took over from there, outplaying her Indonesian WFM counterpart Dewi A.A. Citra, member of the host country's 2014 Olympiad team, later in the day.
Displaying her mastery of the old Benioni Defense, Mendoza recovered from some listless moves in the middle game turning the table on her opponent in the endgame where Citra succumbed to time pressure.
Bernadette Galas, another WIM in the talent-filled PH squad, overlooked a winning winning chance early and settled for a draw with another Indonesian Olympian Chelsie Monica Sihite in Sicilian Rossolimo Variation.
In the men's play, Filipino International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia survived a marathon four-hour showdown with Vietnamese Olympian Van Huy Nguyen in their English Opening duel.
Garcia's. persistent plays, his strong positional advantage brought about by his strategical style, plus Nguyen's groping for time spelled triumph for the Filipino IM.
The encounter between countrymen, Grandmaster Darwin Laylo and IM Paulo Bersamina in Laryrymen ended in a stalemate.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines and NCFP Grassroots and Promotion chair, Cong. Neri Javier Colmenares extended their congratulations to members of the national team for their strong opening day showing.
Standing after round 1, Men: IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia ( Philippines) 1.0 point; GM Dao Thien Hai( Vietnam) 1.0 point; Yoseph Theolifus Taher ( Indonesia) 1.0 point; FM Li Tian Yeoh ( Malaysia) 1.0 point; GM Susanto Megaranto ( Indonesia) 0.5 point; GM Darwin Laylo ( Philippines) 0.5 point; IM Paulo Bersamina ( Philippines) 0.5 point; IM Cuhendi Winshand Sean ( Indonesia) 0.5 point; IM Van Huy Nguyen ( Vietnam) 0 point; IM Zaw Thun Wynn ( Myanmar) 0 point; IM Lufti Ali Muhammad ( Indonesia) 0 point; FM Anh Khoi Nguyen ( Vietnam) 0 point.
Standing after round 1, Women: WIM Janelle Mae Frayna( Philippines) 1.0 point; WFM Shanai Mae Mendoza ( Philippines) 1.0 point; WGM Thi Mai Hung Nguyen ( Vietnam) 1.0 point; WIM Thi Nhu Y Hoang ( Vietnam) 1.0 point; WFM Nur Najiha Hisham Azman ( Malaysia) 0.5 point; WCM Nur Nabila Hisham Azman ( Malaysia) 0.5 point; WIM Bernadette Galas ( Philippines) 0.5; point; WIM Chelsie Monica Sihite ( Indonesia) 0.5 point; WFM Dewi A.A. Citra; ( Indonesia) 0 point; WFM Dita Karenza ( Indonesia) 0 point; WFM Shanti Nur Abidah ( Indonesia) 0 point; Amanda Suci Fitriyani ( Indonesia) 0 point.
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