WGM Frayna keeps her World Cup bid alive by beating WGM Khalilova

THE Philippines’ Janelle Mae Frayna resuscitated her World Cup bid by blasting Uzbekistan’s Madinabonu Khalilova in the seventh round of the Asian Individual Chess Championships in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old many-time national women’s champion showed pin precision in mangling Kalilova’s Sicilian Defense and tore down brick by brick the latter’s kingside defense with a decisive mating attack.

When it was over, the enlisted Army personnel from Albay were set to checkmate her befuddled Uzbek foe or win material before the latter resigned in 39 moves.

The propelled Frayna, whose trip is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission, back into the top 10 as she shared sixth spot with six others with five points, or just a point off pace setters Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Seshadri Srija of India and Bat-Erdene Mangunzul of Mongolia.

But for her to have a legitimate shot at snaring one of the two tickets to the Women’s World Cup set July 5 to 29 in Batumi, Georgia, she must sweep her last two foes, including against fourth-seeded Chinese International Master Song Yuxin in the eighth and penultimate round.

Frayna is the country’s last hope at having a representative to Batumi as teammates Marie Antoinette San Diego, Bernadette Galas and Jan Jodilyn Fronda in her division and Pau Bersamina, Jem Garcia and Grandmaster Daniel Quizon have fallen by the wayside and virtually out of contention. — Joey Villar