By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Woman National Master Jersey Marticio extended her amazing winning streak to six matches and grabbed the solo lead in the FIDE Online Rapid World Cup Cadets & Youth Girls 14U championships over the weekend.
Marticio, an incoming Grade 9 student of Pulo National High School in Cabuyao, Laguna, brought down Woman International Master Ellen Wang of the United States after 54 moves of Queen’s Gambit Exchange in the fifth round before scoring a 47-move victory of a Sicilian Defense duel against another American in Kelsey Liu.
Marticio thus hiked her output to six points for solo lead, half a point ahead of Woman Fide Master Alexandra Shvedova of Russia and Lee Yesun of the United States.
Meanwhile, Ruelle Canino split the point with Peru’s Maria Teresa Jimenez Salas then subdued England’s Emily Maton to improve to 4.5 points for a share of 13th to 20th places.
April Joy Claros yielded to Woman FM Agnes Chong of Malaysia after 53 moves of Gruenfeld Defense to drop into the crowded 21st place with 4 points.
In the Girls 16U, WNM Lexie Grace Hernandez finished fourth after tiebreaks were applied to those with eight points — WFM Amina Kairbekova of Kazakhstan and Woman Fide Master Davaakhuu Munkhzul of Mongolia.
With her victory, Hernandez joined nine others in the knockout final stage set Aug. 26 to 31.
