By Joey Villar
Kylen Joy Mordido isn’t being groomed to become the country’s next Woman Grandmaster (WGM) for nothing.
The 19-year-old Ms. Mordido has shown flashes of brilliance as she smashed Ruelle Canino in 37 moves in a King’s Indian duel to leapfrog to the top of the 2021 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship.
A third and final norm away from earning the WGM title, Ms. Canino has shown she’s within reach of that goal as evidenced by her performance in this tournament at the PACE where she shares the lead with former national champion Jan Jodilyn Fronda after four rounds.
Ms. Fronda, the winner of the 2019 edition, stayed on top alongside Ms. Mordido with three points apiece by blasting Francois Marie Magpily in 46 moves of a French Defense.
“One of my dreams is to become a WGM,” said Ms. Mordido, who will embark on a campaign here and abroad next year to achieve the WGM feat.
Against a younger and talented prospect in Ms. Canino, Ms. Mordido has shown the grasp of the positional game and methodically launched an attack with surgical precision to open up the former’s kingside for the kill.
When it was over, Ms. Mordido was left a rook and two pawns up and an indefensible onslaught.
Interestingly, Ms. Mordido’s true worth will be proven when she faces the player she has strived to become — the country’s first and only WGM Janelle Mae Frayna— in the fifth round at press time.
Ms. Frayna has overcome her near catastrophic opening round defeat to the 13-year-old Ms. Canino by scoring 2.5 points in the last three rounds including a more recent 80-move win over Lexie Grace Hernandez in a game where the former displayed superb endgame technique.
Thanks to the win, Ms. Frayna has crept closer to the leaders and a favorable result over Ms. Mordido should keep her in the race for the top prize amounting to P50,000 and a berth to the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May next year.
Also in the chase group were Shania Mae Mendoza and Marie Antoinette San Diego, who drew with Allaney Jia Doroy and Bernadette Galas, respectively.
Rinoa Mariel Sadey outwitted Marian Calimbo in 40 moves of a Benoni in the only other result to hike her total to two points.
The event is backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Endgame Sports founder Atty. Cris Aspiras, POC President Bambol Tolentino, NCFP chief Butch Pichay and Atty. Roel Canobas.
Kylen Joy Mordido defeated Ruelle Canino in 37 moves in a King’s Indian duel to share the women’s chess championship lead with Jan Jodilyn Fronda.
