Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Kylen Joy Mordido repulsed their rivals to seize the share of the lead after four rounds in the 2021 National Women’s Chess Championship at the PACE Building in Quezon City Monday.
Fronda, who ruled the tournament for the first time two years ago, turned back Francois Marie Magpily in 46 moves of a French Defense while Woman Grandmaster Candidate Mordido waylaid 13-year-old Ruelle Canino in 37 moves of a King’s Indian to improve to three points each.
Marie Antoinette San Diego and Shania Mae Mendoza trailed by half a point after splitting the point with Bernadette Galas and Allaney Jia Doroy, respectively.
Top seed Janelle Mae Frayna, the country’s first and only WGM, caught up with the chase pack and stayed in the hunt by outlasting Lexie Grace Hernandez in 80 moves of a Pirc Defense.
Frayna has now scored 2.5 points in the last three rounds after falling to the prodigious Canino in the opening round of the tournament staking a slot to the Southeast Asian Games-bound Philippine team next year in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In the only other result, Rinoa Mariel Sadey trounced Marian Calimbo in 40 moves of a Benoni to improve to two points.
The event is backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Endgame Sports founder Atty. Cris Aspiras, POC president Bambol Tolentino, NCFP chief Butch Pichay and Atty. Roel Canobas.