Foreign GMs rule Frayna Chess Tournament, Bersamina places 9th

MANILA, Philippines – Youthful Grandmaster (GM) Nodribek Abdusottorov led dominant foreign bets in the 3rd WGM Janelle Mae Frayna Chess Tournament held Sunday, June 14, in Lichess.

The 15-year-old sensation from Uzbekistan, the fifth youngest in history to become a GM at 13, wound up with 95 points to beat Armenian GM Haik Martirosyan, who finished with 95, for the title in the event which lured 8 GMs, 10 International Masters (IMs), and other titled players.

International Master Paulo Bersamina was the Philippines’ top performer with 61 points, good for 9th place, in the tournament organized by WIM Shania Mae Mondoza in honor of Frayna, the country’s only woman GM.

Russian IM Alexandr Ulanov took 3rd place with 81 points, followed by Indonesian IM Yoseph Taher with 70, and Serbian GM Dusan Popovic with 70.

Other Filipinos who fared well are 15-year-old IM Daniel Cuison, who ended up 11th with 55 points; Fide Master Austin Jacob Lieratus with 54 points (12th); FM Deniel Causo with 53 points (14th); and IM Michael Concio Jr with 53 points (15th).

GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio, dubbed the Ironman of online chess for logging over 160,000 games, tallied 49 points (16th) and emerged the best senior among the 94-player roster.

USA-based GM Mark Paragua, winner of the just-conluded Philippine Bullet Chess Championship, settled for 22nd place with 46 points.

WIM Dewi Ardhiani Anastasia Citra of Indonesia clinched top female honors with 65 points and 8th place. WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda was the best placed Filipina at 26th with 39 points. – Rappler.com