Pinay chessers blank Belgium; Pinoys falter

The Philippines smashed Belgium, 4-0, to boost its chances in the women’s division and make up for its men’s team’s 1.5-2.5 heartbreaker to 14th seed Spain yesterday after eight rounds of the 42nd World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan.

WIM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Catherine Secopito and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza trounced WFM Hanne Goossens, Wiebke Barbier, Sarah Dierckens and Astrid Barbier, respectively, to jump to an eight- team logjam at 13th spot with 11 points.

The shutout soothed the pain of a 1-3 drubbing the Filipinas suffered at the hands of the eighth-seeded Hungarians earlier.

The Phl team will have a chance to get back at the top 10 as it faces 15th seed Mongolia in the ninth round.

The men’s squad was not as fortunate as United States-based GMs Julio Catalino Sadorra and Rogelio Barcenilla Jr. lost to GMs Francisco Vallejo Pons and David Anton Guijarro on first and third boards.

It dampened the victory of GM Eugene Torre over GM Ivan Salgado Lopez on second board and the draw by IM Paulo Bersamina with GM Jose Carlos Ibarra Jerez at fourth board.

The Filipinos slid to the top 50 with nine points and have to win against No. 26 Argentina to get a chance to finish in the top 10.

The 64-year-old Torre, rated just 2447 and facing way higher-rated foes, remained undefeated as he hiked his total to seven points on six victories and two draws in eight outings for an impressive performance rating of 2771.

While the men’s team struggled, the women’s side has been showing marked improvement especially with the core of Frayna, Fronda, Secopito and Mendoza, who have accounted for all but one of their 21 game points.

Fronda, a La Salle standout, has won six of her eight games, Frayna and Secopito have 5.5 points apiece while Mendoza, a 19-year-old sensation, has scored three of her four matches.