Top seed Janelle Mae Frayna outlasted Allaney Jia Doroy to share a share of lead with four others after six rounds of the 2021 National Women’s Chess Championship at the PACE building in Quezon City Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Frayna survived the marathon 91-move duel of an English Opening to hike her tally to four points and forge a logjamon top with Kylen Joy Mordido, Marie Antoinette San Diego, Shania Mae Mendoza and Jan Jodilyn Fronda.
The country’s first and only Woman Grandmaster has now overcome a shock opening round defeat to 13-year-old Ruelle Canino by scoring three wins and two draws in her last five games.
Frayna could improve even further if she could turn back Francois Marie Magpily in the seventh round Tuesday night.
Mordido, who is being groomed as the country’s next WGM, split the point with San Diego in 31 moves of an English Opening while Mendoza halved the point with Cebu pride Marian Calimbo in 68 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.
Fronda, for her part, had a chance to grab the solo lead with a win over Mariel Rinoa Sadey but settled for a 59-move draw of a Sicilian game.
The draw kept Sadey at solo sixth with three points, half a point ahead of Canino, Doroy and Bernadette Galas with 2.5 points.
Canino turned back Magpily in 69 moves of a Pirc Defense while Galas blasted Lexie Grace Hernandez in 53 moves of a Reti Opening.