THREE slots to the Philippine women’s team seeing action in this September’s 46th World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, will be up for grabs in The Battle of the Women’s Masters scheduled from Feb. 1 to 11 in Malolos, Bulacan.
Newly minted Woman International Master Ruelle Canino and the country’s first and only Woman Grandmaster to date in Janelle Mae Frayna spearhead a strong 16-player field.
“The top three finishers will automatically play in the World Chess Olympiad,” said Jayson Gonzales, National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chief executive officer and national women’s coach, referring to the Samarkand tilt set on Sept. 10 to 24.
“The last two slots will be nominated by the NCFP,” he added.
Other notable names seeing action in the event bankrolled by Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad are Olympiad veterans Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Shania Mae Mendoza and Bernadette Galas, who, along with Canino and Frayna, were part of the team that seized the Category gold in the Budapest staging two years ago.
Marie Antoinette San Diego, Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian, Kate Nicole Ordizo, Queen Rose Pamplona, Heart Padilla, Maria Kristine Lavandero, Apple Rubin, Allaney Jia Doroy, Vic Glysen Derotas, Bonjoure Fille Suyamin and Cherry Ann Mejia are the other participants.
The tournament is part of the monthlong Philippine Chess Festival that will coincide with the celebration of the Malolos Fiesta Republica.
“The Philippine International Chess Tournament will now be a yearly event,” said Gonzales.