Philippines Team 1 rode on victories by Darry Bernardo and Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza as it downed Ukraine Team 1, 3-1, to climb in a four-team tie for second after the sixth and penultimate round of the 1st FIDE Online Olympiad for People with Disabilities Thursday.
Mendoza trounced Irina Zarubinskaya on board four while Bernardo turned a losing game into a win after Vladyslav Kolpakov was disconnected on board two that sealed the win for a share of No. 2 with Poland Team 2, second seed Germany and Ukraine Team 3 with 10 match points apiece.
Reigning world champion FIDE Master Sander Severino and Jasper Rom drew with International Master Oleg Tuka and FM Sergey Grigorchuk on boards one and three.
PH Team 1 was battling Russia Team 1 in the seventh and final round Friday, seeking nothing less than a victory that would propel them straight to the knockout semifinals.
The Russians were held to a 2-2 draw by Poland Team 2 to remain at the helm with 11 points.
Meanwhile, PH Team 2 drew with Ukraine Team 2, 2-2, on triumphs by Arman Subaste and Cheryl Angot on board one and four to kiss its semis chances goodbye.
Max Dave Tellor and Israel Peligro fell to Vladyslav Pokotaeiv and Oleksii Filippskikh on second to third boards.
The country’s second team, which is tied at No. 9 with eight points, will try to salvage some measure of pride as it tackles Croatia in the last round.