PHL woodpushers rout Bolivians, eye top 20 finish

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines smashed a listless Bolivia, 4-0, Tuesday to have a chance of reaching its goal of a top 20 finish going into the 11th and final round of the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra, GM John Paul Gomez, International Master Paulo Bersamina and GM Jayson Gonzales all came through with wins over GM Oswaldo Zambrana, IM Jose Daniel Gemy, IM Jonny Cueto and Javier Monroy, respectively, to push the Filipinos to 38th to 56th places with 12 points.

The women's team, in contrast, fell to 25th seed Latvia, 3-1,  following stinging defeats by Chardine Cheradee Camacho and Catherine Perena to WGM Dana Reizniece Ozola and WIM Katrina Skinke on first and fourth boards.

Janelle Mae Frayna and Jan Jodilyn Fronda battled their way to draws with WGMs Laura Rogule and Ilze Berzina on second and third boards to save some measure of pride for the Filipinas, who fell to 42nd to 56th spots with 11 points.

The Phl women's team will clash with Belgium in the last round.

Gomez capped the emphatic win for the Filipinos as he turned what appeared like a drawish position to a 78-move victory of a quiet Queen's Pawn duel over Gemy on second board after he came out with a two-pawn edge in the endgame.

After 10 grueling games, the tournament took its last break before resuming with the Phl battling 37th seed Canada and needing another smashing win to end the tournament inside the top 20.

It can be recalled that the Phl made a top 20 finish as its goal before it left for Tromso, which is a little bit ambitious considering that it has played in the absence of GMs Wesley So and Oliver Barbosa, the country's top two players in the last Olympiad edition in Turkey two years ago.

So is changing allegiance and currently coaching the already loaded American chess team while Barbosa failed to make the trip due to visa delays.

Despite the tribulations, the Filipinos are holding their fort.

Jayson Gonzales, who has alternated from being National Chess Federation of the Phl executive director, men's and women's teams skipper and men's team alternate, has risen to the challenge and produced 2.5 points in three games, including an impressive 43-move win over Monroy in their Catalan duel.