THE National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) has nominated Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and International Master Paulo Bersamina to represent the country in the men and women International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Chess Cup.
NCFP chief executive officer Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales said they have decided to nominate Ms. Frayna and Mr. Bersamina for the two slots allotted to the country because they have no more time to hold tryouts.
Ms. Frayna, who turned 24 on Wednesday, will be the country’s lone bet in the women’s World Cup slated July 10 to Aug. 6 in Sochi, Russia, while Mr. Bersamina will join IMs Daniel Quizon and Michael Concio, Jr. in the men’s edition of the same event from Aug. 1-28 in Minsk, Belarus. Quizon, 16, and Concio, 15, clinched their spots by topping the Asian Zonal 3.3 Championships two weeks ago.
Ms. Frayna was actually in the final month of her Army training, but had to cut it short after she was called upon for the World Cup and the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in November.
Aside from being the country’s first and only WGM, Ms. Frayna will also make history as the first Filipina to see action in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, about 15 Filipinos headed by IM John Marvin Miciano are eyeing to clinch one of the 10 slots to Minsk in the Asian Continental Championship unfolding on Friday.