Quizon rules National Chess Championship; Frayna third

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine chess king reigns on

Daniel Quizon bested Grandmaster John Paul Gomez with a masterful, sacrifice-laced win in the 13th and final round to claim the crown in the Philippine National Chess Championship at the Marikina Community Convention Center yesterday.

A knight sacrifice helped the 19-year-old International Master open up Gomez’s weak kingside position and go on to essay a 32-move victory off a King’s Indian showdown.

It capped a brilliant tournament presented by Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro and Rep. Maan Teodoro that saw Quizon score 9.5 points and secure the national crown for the second time since assuming the throne three years ago in Lapu Lapu, Cebu.

Quizon took the cool champion’s purse worth P120,000 and, most important of all, a place in the GM Eugene Torre-coached national team going into battle in this September’s FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary where he has a chance to claim a GM title.

IM Jem Garcia drew with 14-year-old wunderkind FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca in 30 moves of another English duel and seized second place, the P70,000 prize and an Olympiad spot.

Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna, wearing her Army battle uniform, took third with 8.5 points after she won two pawns early from Samson Lim III on her way to a 33-move victory in yet another English encounter.

She could have even won it all had she not blown a winning position in her loss to GM Joey Antonio in the penultimate round Saturday night.