Fronda claims Philippine women’s chess crown

MANILA, Philippines – Jan Jodilyn Fronda reclaimed the Philippine women’s chess crown and a spot to next year’s World Chess Olympiad after topping the national championship at the Pace Center Wednesday night.

Fronda, 25, pounced on a time-troubled Allaney Jia Doroy in turning an inferior position into a 41-move victory of a King’s Indian duel to finish with 9.5 points, half a point ahead of last year’s champion Shania Mae Mendoza, women Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Antoinette San Diego.

It was the first national title for Fronda since winning the same tournament four years ago, and it rewarded her a spot in the Phl team seeing action in the 2020 Olympiad in Khaty-Mansiysk, Russia.

So impressive was Fronda that she ended up as the only undefeated chesser in the 13-round, 14-player meet with six wins and seven draws.

Mendoza, who won this event last year, took the only other Olympiad berth here as she edged Frayna and San Diego in the tiebreak.

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines is expected to nominate Frayna as the third member of the squad with her rich experience in playing the top board, while the last two seats will be contested by San Diego, Kylen Joy Mordido and Olympiad veterans Catherine Secopito and Bernadette Galas.