PH chessers salvage 2-2 draw vs Israel; Women’s team escaped with a 2-2 draw against Ecuador in Round 6 Chennai, India Chess Olympiad
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 04 Aug 2022
MANILA---The Philippines escaped with a 2-2 draw against Israel with two-time Asian Junior champion Grandmaster Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla vanquishing Grandmaster Tamir Nabaty in 64 moves of a King’s Indian encounter on board two to save the day for the Filipinos, who were tied at 14th spot with 10 others with nine match points in the sixth round Wednesday night to stay in the hunt in the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.
Grandmaster Mark Paragua was the last to finish as he tried his best to eke out a win but ended up splitting the point with Grandmaster Avital Boruchovsky in 59 moves of a Four Knights Game that sealed the stunning standoff.
Grandmaster Darwin Laylo earlier drew with veteran Grandmaster Ilya Smirin on board three, that came after International Master Paulo Bersamina lost his way right in the opening and never recovered to succumb to Grandmaster Evgeny Postny on the last board.
The 11-round, 12-day biennial event took a much-needed breather yesterday before plunging back into battle in the seventh round Friday when the Philippines, which is being sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, clashes with powerhouse fifth pick Poland.
National men’s team coach GM Eugene Torre is expected to field in an all-GM roster versus the Poles with GM John Paul Gomez expected to replace a shaken Bersamina in the line up.
In the women’s side, the Filipinas battled the lower-ranked Ecuadorians to a 2-2 standoff, a result sealed by a defeat by Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza to Woman International Master Anahi Ortiz Verdezoto on board two.
Woman Grandmaster candidate Kylen Joy Mordido delivered the lone win on board four while Woman International Masters Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Marie Antoinette San Diego were held to draws on second and third board, respectively.
The split sent them sputtering down a 13-country tie at 48th place with seven points and was scheduled to play Bolivia tonight in a match where Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna is expected to be injected back into the roster in place of Mendoza.-Marlon Bernardino-
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