By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales and Woman GM Janelle Frayna toppled separate rivals to join 12 others at 10th place after four rounds in the Brugse Meesters 2018 in Brugge, Belgium on Monday.
Gonzales recovered from a crushing Round 3 loss to Scottish GM Matthew Turner by besting Woman International Master Tsveta Galunova while Frayna scored back-to-back win over England’s Adrian Somerfield and Woman FIDE Master Paula-Alexandra Gitu of Moldova for similar 3 poins.
GM Wang Yunguo of China and Hong Kong’s Hu Yik Kwan are still showing the way with perfect 4 points.
Gonzales’ other protégé, International Master John Marvin Miciano, meanwhile, won over Belgium’s Harald Larsen in the third round but settled for a draw with Thomas Villiers of England in the fourth to slip into 83rd to 137th places with two points on one win, one loss and two draws.
Up next for Gonzales is FM Georgi Tomov of Bulgaria, while Frayna and Miciano take on Dutch IM Lucas Van Foreest and Belgian Guillaume Chauvon, respectively.
This is the fifth straight tournament for the three woodpushers as part of Frayna and Miciano’s search for GM norms.
Frayna is also preparing for the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia in September.
