Philippines gets its first Woman Grandmaster
The Philippine Women’s Chess Team may have finished 34th in a pool of 140 teams; but for one Janelle Mae Frayna, her dream of being a woman grandmaster is as good as fulfilled.
CONGRATULATIONS! Janelle May Frayna is the Philippines’ first Woman Grandmaster. (Image by Paul Truong, grabbed from Baku Chess Olympiad)
The 20-year-old senior Psychology student from Far Eastern University, Manila will be our country’s first Woman Grandmaster (WGM) after battling International Master (IM) Davaademberel Nomin-Erdene of Mongolia to a draw at the recently-concluded 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan.
She achieved the feat after amassing four wins, four draws, and only one loss during the 11-round tournament, granting her 6 points. The announcement was made by Philippine Women’s team skipper and Frayna’s personal coach, Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.
The title, however, was delayed for a month. Frayna was already in the running for WGM when she entered last month’s World Junior Chess Championships in India. She had a strong showing throughout the tournament, but faltered in her final 3 games to land 5th.
The title would still need to be confirmed by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), but from the looks of what she has achieved in the tournament, it will only be a matter of time before it is confirmed.
Frayna’s feat is a first for the country and its chess teams since Eugene Torre became Asia’s first Grandmaster during the 1974 Chess Olympiad.
Source: Inquirer.net, Spin.ph, The Philippine Star, Rappler, chess-results.com
