By Kristel Satumbaga
In its sharpest form so far, the Philippine women’s team made heads turn Saturday by shocking favorite Iran to grab a piece of the lead after six rounds in the Asian Nations Online Chess Cup 2020.
Drawing strength from Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Woman International Master Kylen Joy Mordido, the PH team scored a morale-boosting 2.5-1.5 win to make its title bid known to everybody.
Cool but calculating, Frayna stunned IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, the highest rated in this tournament with 2393, on top board while the 18-year-old Mordido showed nerves of steel in extreme time pressure to beat WFM Anousha Mahdian on fourth board.
WIM Bernadette Galas sealed the upset win by drawing with WFM Anousha Mahdian on third board that sent the Lady Agilas to the top alongside the Iranians and the heavily-favored Indians, who routed the Indonesians, 3-1, with 10 match points apiece.
Impressively, the Philippines has the highest won game points, which would be used as the first tiebreaker in case of a tie, with 19.5 against Iran’s 18.5 and India’s 17.
WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda missed a draw and lost to WIM Mobina Alinasab on Board 2.
It was a productive day for the Lady Agilas as they demolished Kyrgyzstan, 3.5-0.5, and Lebanon, 4-0, before that stunning sixth-round triumph.
The Filipinas hope to sustain their impressive form in the seventh round Monday.
So far, Galas is the most productive with 5.5 points while Frayna and Fronda have 4.5 apiece.
Mordido, who has two of the required norms to become the country’s second WGM, was inserted into the lineup in place of WFM Shania Mae Mendoza and swept all her three games.
Mendoza has two points to show in three games.
