Frayna draws with Latvian WGM in Germany chess tiff

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna drew with seventh seed Latvian Woman International Master Nino Khomeriki to stay unbeaten and a point off the pace after four rounds of the Women's International Open in Erfurt, Germany Tuesday night.

The draw kept Frayna, 21, in a six-player tie at the  sixth spot with three points – a full point behind solo leader and top seed IM Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi of India and half a point off WIM Karolina Olsarova of the Czech Republic and WGMs Mitra Hejazipour of Ireland, Jovana Rapport of Serbia and Mihaela Sandu of Romania.

Frayna was playing sixth seed and another Latvian WGM Ilze Berzina in the fifth round at press time.

The split came after the former Far Eastern U standout shocked eighth pick Russian WGM Galina Strutinskaia in 38 moves of a super-sharp Sicilian duel.

Frayna was set to checkmate Strutinskaia in two moves when the latter resigned.

The Erfurt tilt is Frayna third tournament since she embarked on an ambitious European campaign with an aim of barging into the top 10 in the world's women's rankings and become the first male GM in the Philippines.

She posted six wins and eight draws against four defeats against all male players in two tournaments – the 19th Obert International Saint Marti and 43rd Open International D'Escacs Vila de Sitges last month in Spain.

Both events earned Frayna, the country's first ever WGM who has a FIDE rating of 2235, 25 rating points and would automatically clinch the men's IM title if she reaches the 2400-rating plateau – a feat not one Filipina before her has achieved.