Phl women's team beats ICCD in World Chess Olympiad

by Marlon Bernardino

Philippines women's team continued their winning ways as it toppled International Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD), 3.5-0.5, in the second round of the 41st World Chess Olympiad late Sunday in Tromso, Norway.

Woman International Master (WIM) Chardine Cheradee Camacho (ELO 2214) outclassed  WIM Tatiana Baklanova (ELO 2229) on Board 1 to power Phl women's team to victory.

In other matches saw, Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Janelle Mae Frayna (ELO 2205) subdued WCM Annegret Mucha (ELO 2008) on Board 2 while Woman National Master (WNM) Jan Jodilyn Fronda (ELO 2098) nipped Natalya Myronenko (ELO 1942) on Board 3. WIM Olga Gerasimova (ELO 2045) halved the point with WIM Catherine Perena (ELO 2165) on Board 4 to saved ICCD in a possible shut-out loss.

The No. 43 Philippines women's team will meet No.8 Poland in Monday's third round. Poland is coming from a 2.5-1.5 win against No.27 Czech Republic.

Against Poland, Camacho will face GM  Monika Socko (ELO 2470), Frayna opposite WGM Jolanta Zawadzka (ELO 2398), Fronda versus WGM Karina Szczepkowska-Horowska (ELO 2380) and Perena goes up against WGM Marta Bartel (ELO 2359).

Meanwhile, Fide Master (FM) Paulo Bersamina (ELO 2363) defeated FM Dejan Marjanovic (ELO 2373) on Board 4 to power No. 52 Phl men's team into a 2-2 stand off against No.42 Bosnia & Herzegovina after his teammates, Grandmasters (GMs) Julio Catalino Sadorra (ELO 2590) and Eugene Torre (ELO 2438), drew with their respective rivals. However, GM John Paul Gomez (ELO 2526) bowed to GM Dalibor Stojanovic (ELO 2503) on Board 2.

Phl men's team will meet No.2 Ukraine in the next round who drew with No.58 Norway 2.

Against Ukraine, Sadorra, Gomez, Torre and Bersamina will face all GMs squad Vassily Ivanchuk (ELO 2744), Ruslan Ponomariov (ELO 2717), Anton Korobov (ELO 2680) and Alexander Moiseenko (ELO 2707), respectively.

Philippine chess team off to a good start

by Marlon Bernardino

The Philippine men's and women's chess teams won their respective matches at the start of 41st World Chess Olympiad late Saturday in Tromso, Norway.

The 52nd seed Philippine men's team blasted No. 138 Afghanistan,3.5-0.5, while the No. 43 Philippines women's team subdued No.110 Palau, 4-0.

GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (ELO 2590) defeated FM Mahbuboollah Kooshani (ELO 2036) after 32 moves of Neo-Catalan on Board 1, GM John Paul Gomez crushed FM Zaheeruddeen Asefi (ELO 1996) after 49 moves of Old Benoni defense on Board 2 while Asia's First GM Eugene Torre (ELO 2438) won by default over Hamidullah Sarwary (ELO 1920) on Board 3 after the latter's failed to made his appearance in the opening round. The 62-year-old Torre, dubbed as  the ‘Living Legend’ of Philippine  chess, made a  record 22nd  appearance in the  world’s biggest chess stage.

Little-known Zabiullah Ahmadi (ELO 2031) prevent his team in a possible shut-out loss after forcing FM Paulo Bersamina (ELO 2363) into a fighting draw after 82 moves of Caro-Kann defense on Board 4.

In the distaff side, Woman International Master (WIM) Chardine Cheradee Camacho (ELO 2214) crushed Angelica Parrado (ELO 1628) after 36 moves of french defense, Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Janelle Mae Frayna (ELO 2205) outclassed Baby Edna Mission (ELO 1546) after 13 moves of pirc defense, Woman National Master (WNM) Jan Jodilyn Fronda (ELO 2098) won by default against Gladys Anne Paloma (ELO 1472) and WIM Catherine Perena (ELO 2165 ) routed  Destiny Sisor (ELO 1536) after 28 moves of Queens Gambit Declined, in order.

In late Sunday's second round, Philippine men's team goes up against No.42 Bosnia & Herzegovina while the women's team will meet No.55  International Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD).