Docena, Fronda top nat’l jrs chess

MANILA, Philippines - National Master Jerad Docena held top seed FIDE Master Haridas Pascua to a draw in the final round to capture the boys’ crown while Jan Jodilyn Fronda nipped fellow Woman NM Janelle Mae Frayna in the tiebreak to clinch the girls’ title in the National Juniors Chess Championships at the PSC Conference Hall inside Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila Thursday.

Docena, playing out of Wesleyan College of Manila, finished with 6.5 points, half-a-point ahead of McDominique Lagula and Jose Carlo Castro.

“My sacrifices paid off,” said the 15-year-old Docena.

Pascua wound up with 5.5 points for joint fourth with NMs Alcon Datu and Narquinden Reyes, Paul Evangelista and Daryl Samantila.

Fronda, who beat Shania Mae Mendoza in the final round, and Frayna, who trounced Jesca Docena, finished with identical six points but the former took the crown with a superior tiebreak score.

NCFP executive director GM Jayson Gonzales, meanwhile, said Docena and Fronda will join GM Wesley So as the country’s representatives in the World Junior U-20 Chess Championships slated Sept. 12-27 in Turkey.