Frayna off to rousing start in Spain chess

MANILA, Philippines — Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna dumped Gustavo Magallanes of Argentina to jumpstart her campaign after the first round of the XX Obert Internacional Sant Marti 2018 in Catalonia, Spain Friday night.

It was a good start for the 22-year-old Frayna, who is raring to bounce back from a forgettable performance in the XLI Open Internacional de Barbera del Valles Thursday also in Spain where she finished 51st overall with just four points to show.

Frayna, whose trip is being bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission and The Philippine STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte, was playing Spain’s Albert Segarra Calderer in the second round at press time with hopes of regaining the 22.6 rating she lost in the last tournament.

Frayna, currently rated 2315, is on her second of a six-tournament, 51-day European campaign with an eye of gaining GM norms or the title outright and making the 2500-rating level that will catapult her straight to the women’s top 10 world rankings.

GM Jayson Gonzales, Frayna’s coach, and International Master John Marvin Miciano likewise grabbed an early share of the lead after trouncing Emilio Albero Figueras of Spain and Eelco Haak of the Netherlands, respectively.

Gonzales was clashing with Shrivatri Anuj of India while Miciano Andreas Persson of Sweden.