PHL men’s team amazes Sweden with Paragua heroics on board 1
Women’s team suffer setback against the Swedes, 2.5-1.5
GRANDMASTER (GM) Mark Paragua dug deep into his playoff bag of tricks as he pulled off the nerve-wracking top-board win by lifting the Philippines to a stunning 2.5-1.5 victory over a fancied Sweden in the fifth round on Tuesday night. top 10 of the 44Th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.
Left with the responsibility of carrying the fight after GMs John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and International Master (IM) Paulo Bersamina tied their respective games in the lower boards, the 38-year-old Mr. Paragua deliberately went to win when he could easily sent his duel with GM Erik Blomqvist to a draw.
The New York-based multiple World Cup veteran built a slim lead brick by brick, layer by layer until he got the much needed break against a nervous Mr. Blomqvist and turned it into lasting benefits.
When it was over, his nasty higher ranked enemy faced the specter of losing his tower to Mr. Paragua and left on the 69thTh move.
The emphatic win sent the Filipinos, who are sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, into an 18-nation log in eighth place with eight match points apiece and a much-anticipated duel with 21St ranked Israel in the sixth round at press time for a chance to climb into the top five alongside the big guns.
The country was just two points behind co-leaders India 2 and Armenia, who have perfect scores of 10 points, and one point closer to third to seventh place Uzbekistan, India 1, Cuba, Iran and a Wesley So-paced USA. with nine points each.
National men’s coach Eugene Torre said they would rest Mr. Gomez in favor of GM Banjo Barcenilla.
WOMEN’S TEAM
However, it was heartbreaking for the Filipinos when Janelle Mae Frayna lost to Eline Roebers on the top board which sealed their 2.5-1.5 defeat at the hands of the higher ranked Swedes.
WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego prevailed over FIDE Master Machteld Van Forest on board three while WGM candidate Kylen Joy Mordido halved the score with WIM Rosa Ratsma on board four.
WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda fell to grizzly veteran GM Peng Zhaoqin on the second board.
GM Jayson Gonzales-mentored Filipinos slipped to tied 35 nations at 39Th with six points and they faced the Ecuadorians in the sixth round. — Joey Villars