SINACABAN, Misamis Oriental - A 20-move squeaker against a foreign rival sprung back to life the Mindanaoan girl's dream of becoming the country's second female chess grandmaster.
The 18-year-old Woman International Master Ruelle Canino from Cagayan de Oro City, after incurring her first loss in the second round at the hands of fellow Filipina WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego, rebounded with back-to-back wins, including a short work over Woman FIDE Master Kun Fang of Singapore, to remain in contention for the outright Woman Grandmaster (WFM) title among the rewards at stake in the women's section of the week-long 7th Asean Individual Chess Championships, using the international standard time control of one hour, 30 minutes and 30 seconds increment.
Canino, who also defeated local girl Kate Nicole Ordizo in the first round and Mongoljin Davaadorj of Mongolia in the third round clashes with WIM Shakira Devi Herfesa of India in the 5th round, (Thursday, 4:30 PM) at the AMORPA Adventure Park.
Handling white in a semi-Slav tussle, the game progressed normally and equal up to the middle game, until Canino sacrificed a Knight by taking the black's King-side pawn on f7.
Startled, the Singaporean took the Gambit but committed an inaccuracy in defending a daring assault and resigned after only 20 moves.
Also in hot contention for the coveted WGM title is Canino's early conqueror San Diego from the famed Dasmariñas Chess Academy, who miraculously scored a slambang victory out from a losing position on board 2 against WGM Altan-Ulzii Enkhtuul of Mongolia.
Reaching the endgame with a pawn up, the Mongolian under-estimated San Diego's solitary pawn thrust in the center that led to her shocking setback after 67 pushes of the ultra-sharp but rarely-heard Jobava System of the London Opening.
"Parang nilalagnat ako. I feel like dying in those difficult struggle. Draw lang kasi ang habol ko pag may milagro nang di ko akalaing mag blunder si grandmaster," a sweating San Diego later told the Manila Times.
Trailing just by half a point, San Diego (3.5 points) has the white pieces in her round 5 duel on the top board with solo leader WIM Bordoloi Pratitee of India (4 points).
Woman FIDE Master Shania Mar Mendoza of the Philippines (3 pts) squares off WFM Shree Reddy Keerthi of India (3.5 pts) on board 2. While Canino (3 pts) tangles with Herfesa on board 3.
A string of monumental upsets rocked the tournament as almost all of the grandmasters competing in the men and women's divisions suffered stinging defeats one after the other halfway of the cash-rich tourney bankrolled by Governor Henry Oaminal and the province of Misamis Occidental.
This, as the fast-rising Christian Gian Carlo Arca, considered as Mindanao's biggest hope to be the country's next male grandmaster, apparently picked his second defeat against a lone victory and a draw in four rounds of the men's open category dominated this early by the foreign visitors.-
