MANILA — The Philippine men’s chess team secured a commanding 3-1 victory against South Africa in the eighth round of the 45th Chess Olympiad, held at the BOK Sports Hall in Budapest, Hungary.

Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra and John Paul Gomez led the charge with decisive wins. Sadorra outmaneuvered International Master Jan Karsten in 36 moves in a Queen’s Pawn game on board one, while Gomez triumphed over FIDE Master Banele Mhango in 34 moves using the Ruy Lopez Jaenisch variation on board three.

International Masters Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia both settled for draws on boards two and four, respectively, rounding out the Philippine team’s performance.

After earlier losses to Armenia (1.5-2.5) and Croatia (.5-3.5), the Philippines now stands at 10 points and is set to face the United Arab Emirates in Round 9.

“We need all the encouragement we can get to keep fighting hard for our team,” said Sadorra, who also serves as coach of the University of Texas in Dallas.

In the women’s division, however, the Philippines suffered a narrow 1.5-2.5 loss to Turkiye. Janelle Mae Frayna, Ruelle Canino, and Bernadette Galas each secured draws, while Shania Mae Mendoza was edged out by Ekaterina Atalik after an intense 100-move battle in the Slav Defense.

Next up for the Filipinas is a challenging match against Romania.

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MANILA — The Philippines faced a tough loss against former world champion Armenia, with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the sixth round of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad held at the BOK Sports Hall in Budapest, Hungary on Monday night.

Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra, a coach at the University of Texas in Dallas, secured a key victory on board one, defeating Armenia’s super GM Haik Martirosyan. However, Daniel Quizon, fresh off earning his GM title, fell to super GM Shant Sargsyan on board two.

International Master Paulo Bersamina fought to a draw against Gabriel Sargissian on board three, while IM John Paul Gomez was bested by Robert Hovhannisyan on board four.

This loss drops the Philippines from 7th to 28th in the standings, holding eight points. India currently leads with 12 points, followed closely by Vietnam, China, and Iran.

In the women’s division, the Philippines defeated Bolivia 3-1, securing 34th place in the team standings, also with eight points. Top board player Shania Mae Mendoza triumphed over Daniela Cordero, GM Janelle Mae Frayna bested Nataly Monroy, and Jan Jodilyn Fronda overcame Gloria Luz Yepez Montenegro. However, Bernadette Galas was defeated by Jessica Molina on board four.

The competition continues as the Philippines prepares to face Croatia in the men’s division and Argentina in the women’s division.

“We recharge and fight another day,” said Jayson Gonzales, CEO of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and coach of the women’s team. GM Eugene Torre supervises the men’s team, with lawyer Ruel Canobas heading the delegation.

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MANILA – Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra delivered a stunning upset against super GM Vladimir Fedoseev, propelling the Philippines to a 2.5-1.5 win over Slovenia in the fifth round of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad. The match took place at the BOK Sports Hall in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday (15 Sept 2024).

Sadorra, ranked 51st, outplayed Fedoseev, the world’s 26th-ranked player, after 53 moves in a Queen’s Gambit Declined defense. This victory helped the Philippines climb to seventh place in the team standings, joining 21 other countries with eight points.

In another key match, Daniel Quizon drew against Anton Demchenko on board two. Quizon recently earned the Grandmaster title and will receive P100,000 incentive from National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Butch Pichay, as well as a P1 million incentive from Dasmariñas Mayor Jenny Barzaga.

International Masters Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia also secured draws against Jan Subeli and Matej Sebenik, respectively.

The Philippine team, led by coaches GMs Eugene Torre and Jayson Gonzales, with Atty. Ruel Canobas as delegation head, is set to face 17th-seeded Armenia in the next round.

In the women’s division, the Philippines fell to Italy 1.5-2.5. Top board player Shania Mae Mendoza lost to IM Marina Brunello, while Janelle Mae Frayna, Ja Jodilyn Fronda, and Ruelle Canino managed to split their games. The team, currently in 37th place with six points, will meet Bolivia next.

Meanwhile, India, China, Vietnam, and host Hungary lead the men’s standings, while India, Mongolia, and Armenia top the women’s division.

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