Women's GM Janelle Mae Frayna. File photo
MANILA — Women's GM Janelle Mae Frayna was the country’s lone bright spot during Sunday's chess competitions of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
This is after the 17th-seeded Filipina (ELO 2106) outlasted second-seed Zhansaya Abdumalik (2466) of Kazakhstan in Round 1 of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games Chess at Hangzhou Qiyuan (Zhili) Chess Hall.
The Bicol native entered the nine-round Swiss system event’s top 15 with a 1.0 point following the win.
Meanwhile, in another women’s division individual matchup, Marie Antoinette San Diego (2126) fell against China’s Yifan Hou (2547).
Over to the men’s side, 21st-seeded International Master Paulo Bersamina (2351) also succumbed to fourth-seeded Indian Grandmaster Arjun Kumar Erigais.
Rounds 2, 3, 4, and five will conclude later today.
This is only the third time that the 64-square board game will be played in the Asian games, with the first being held during the 2006 Doha games and the second during the 2010 Guangzhou edition.
In the latter, the country clinched its only medal in the tournament when Grandmasters Wesley So Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio, John Paul Gomez, and Darwin Laylo finished with silver at the men’s team standard.
The squad then fell behind gold medalists China and came above bronze titlist India.