KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

The Philippine women’s team pulled the rug from under old nemesis Vietnam, 3-1, in the 10th and penultimate round of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India to boost its bid for a best ever finish in the biennial meet.

Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Woman International Masters Marie Antoinette San Diego and Kylen Joy Mordido won their games on boards one, three and four, respectively, to jump into 22^nd place with 10 other countries – all with 13 match points.

WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda was the lone casualty for the PH side after being ambushed by WGM Nguyen Thi Ma Hung on board 2.

The recent win put the Filipinas, who were battling 14th seed Cuba in the final round at presstime, on the threshold of registering their best ever effort in Olympiad history.

The country placed 22nd in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1988 when powerhouse countries Soviet Union and Yugoslavia were still one country and 26th in Turin, Italy in 2006 when the two nations dissolved into multiple republics.

But regardless of what happened in the last round, the squad had already eclipsed its 67th-placed effort in the last over-the-board staging of the event in Batumi, Georgia four years ago.

“We have already surpassed our performance and score in the previous Olympiad and beating a Vietnam that always beat us here in the Olympiad makes it more significant,” said national women’s team coach GM Jayson Gonzales.

Meanwhile, the Filipinos overpowered Guatemala, 4-0, to forge an 18-nation logjam at 41st spot with 12 points.

If the country could beat fancied Norway, a team headed by reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, in the final round, it would improve on a 39th-place showing the last time.