Frayna defeats Mongolian foe for much-needed win

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May 12, 2025 | 3:03pm

MANILA, Philippines — Desperately needing a victory to storm back into contention, Filipina Janelle Mae Frayna delivered one as she smashed Mongolian Enkh-Amgalan Enkhrii Sunday in the women’s side of the Asian Individual Chess Championships in Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates.

The country’s first and only Woman Grandmaster dismantled the bewildered Enkhrii’s Two Knights Defense in 26 moves. The win catapulted Frayna into a 10-player tie at No. 11 with 3.5 points apiece after the fifth round of this nine-round meet, where the top two qualify straight to the FIDE World Cup set July 5 to 29 in Batumi, Georgia.

It was a much-needed result for 28-year-old enlisted Army personnel from Legazpi, Albay, who derailed by three straight draws after hurdling her opening-round assignment.

And all it took for Frayna, whose participation is being financed by the Philippine Sports Commission, was one little opening mistake by Enkhrii that allowed the former to snap a pawn, and eventually one whole piece to extract the full point.

She will need to summon that same magnificence in the last four rounds to have that legitimate World Cup chance, including one versus WGM Alserkal Rouda Essa of the host country in the sixth round.

Frayna was also the country’s remaining hope to have someone in Batumi as teammates Marie Antoinette San Diego, Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Bernadette Galas were in the bottom half of the standings with only two, two and 1.5 points, respectively, to show.

Same in the men’s class where Pau Bersamina, Jem Garcia and GM Daniel Quizon have been relatively quiet with three, three and two points, respectively.