Spain Falls to PH Women's Team in 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad; Men's Team Bounces Back
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 01 Oct 2018
WOMAN Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza (Elo 2113) pulled off a stunning win over Fide Master Marta Garcia Martin (2329) while Woman International Master Marie Bernadette Galas (2080) sustained her impressive form by beating Woman Grandmaster Monica Calzetta Ruiz (2235) as the 43rd seed Philippines women's team upset 15th seed Spain, 3-1, to barge into the Top 20 after Round 6 in the ongoing 43rd Chess Olympiad being held at the Sports Place sa Batumi, Georgia on Sunday.
Mendoza, one of the top players of multi-titled Far Eastern University chess team, defended well throughout the game then outplayed Garcia Martin in their rook and pawn endgame to claim the victory after a marathon 85 moves of the Slav defense on board two.
The Santa Rosa, Laguna native Mendoza is also now the Filipinas? leading scorer with 4.5 points on account of four wins, one draw and one loss after six games of play.
Galas, on the other hand, the pride of Makati City, also continued her remarkable showing as she outplayed Calzetta Ruiz in 56 moves of Trompovsky Opening on board four.
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna (2287) back after a one-day break, settled for a draw with International Master Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (2404) in 43 moves of King's Indian defense on board one as well Woman International Master Marie Antoinette San Diego (2102) whose trip here backed up by Dasmarinas mayor Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr., split the point with International Master Ana Matnadze (2362) in another marathon 73 moves of Double Fianchetto Opening on board three.
Overall, the Filipinas have nine points, only two points behind the United States, host Georgia team 1 and Armenia under the matchpoint style scoring system being used in the 151 nation team tournament, 11 Round Swiss-system format.
Also with nine points were Georgia 2, Kazakhstan, Peru, Lithuania, Serbia, Hungary and Argentina.
?We?re doing well (Philippines women's team) considering the strong opposition here. I like our position right now,? said National Chess Federation of the Philippines director Atty. Cliburn Anthony A. Orbe who is also the president of the Philippine Executive Chess Association who watched the game live thru ChessBomb.com.
The country's female squad, whose team captain is Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, faces 14th seed Georgia 2 in the seventh round.
Georgia 2, meantime succumbed to their sister team Georgia 1, 1.5-2.5.
In the men's play, the 54th seed Philippines bounced back with a 4-0 rout of 151th seed Jersey to make it double-celebration for the PH bets, playing under the banner of NCFP Chairman/ President Deputy Speaker Prospero "Butch" Arreza Pichay Jr. , Secretary-General Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Ng Tolentino Jr. and team manager Atty. Ruel Canobas.
Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra (2553), Grandmaster John Paul Gomez (2464), International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia (2439) and International Master Haridas Pascua (2435) hurdled their respective matches to clinch the Filipinos? third win.
Sadorra defeated Candidate Master Krzysztof Belzo (2057) in 43 moves of London System Opening, Gomez dealt Candidate Master Paul Wojciechowski (1904) in 38 moves of King's Indian defense, Garcia toppled John Ponomarenko (1631) in 40 moves of another King's Indian defense and Pascua trounced David Wilson (1651) in 39 moves of King's Indian Attack.
The Filipinos whose team captain is Asia's First Grandmaster Eugene Torre now have six points on three wins and three losses.
They also defeated San Marino, 4-0, and Slovakia, 2.5-1.5, but bowed to Croatia, 1-3, Estonia, 1.5-2.5, and Lebanon, 1.5-2.5, respectively.
They will battle 60th seed Albania in the next round, who yielded to 25th seed Greece, 1-3.
Fourth-seed Azerbaijan, headed by Grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2820) and Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov (2751) and Poland, bannered by Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2739) and Grandmaster Radoslaw Wojtaszek (2727) lead the way in the mens?s division with a perfect score of 12 points.
Top seed and defending champion United States at the helm are World Championships challenger Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana (2827) and Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So (2776) is third with eleven points. (Marlon Bernardino)
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