Philippine Grandmasters eye Chess Olympiad 'miracle' vs Poland

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will parade an all-Grandmaster line up as it hopes and prays for a miracle against a loaded, fifth seed Poland in the seventh round at press time of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

Mark Paragua, Banjo Barcenilla, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo will try to come through with perhaps a mother of all upsets as they clash with Jan Krzysztof Duda, Kacper Piorun, Wojciech Moranda and Mateusz Bartel, whose average rating of 2654 makes them the overwhelming favorites against the Filipinos who have an average norm of 2451.

And the Filipinos are determined they could sustain their giant-slaying ways after bringing down fancied Sweden, 2.5-1.5, in the fifth round Tuesday, and holding favored Israel to a 2-2 truce in the sixth Wednesday that sent them to an 11-country tie at 14th with nine match points.

“We’ll just give it all and pray for a miracle,” said the New York-based Paragua.

The Filipinas, for their part, have re-injected WGM Janelle Mae Frayna into the lineup in place of Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza with hopes of pumping life back to its flickering bid.

The county fell to a 13-country tie for 48th spot with seven points after being held to a 2-2 truce by lower-ranked Bolivia in the sixth round Wednesday.

Also playing are WIMs Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Marie Antoinette San Diego and Kylen Joy Mordido on the last three boards.