By: Ed Ubaldo
University of Sto. Tomas took a momentary lead on Sunday after scoring its second win in five matches to go up 11 points at the conclusion of Round 5 of the UAAP Season 85 Women’s Chess Championships at FEU Tech Gym in Manila.
The Tigresses now have two wins and three draws after a 2.5-1.5 win over Far Eastern University.
Macydel Fajardo (Board 1) and Josemier Panol (Board 2) both scored wins followed by a draw from Jamaica Lagrio in Board 3 to secure the win in their penultimate match in the first half of the season.
Defending Champion National University, on the other hand, was limited to another 2-2 split, this time against De La Salle University.
DLSU’s Francois Marie Magpily (Board 2) handed Woman Fide Master Allaney Jia Doroy her first loss of the season despite playing the black pieces in a 40-move English Opening.
Irish Yngayo also scored her first back-to-back win this season with a masterful middlegame play to force Jesca Docena to resign by the 50th move in Board 3.
But NU’s Woman Fide Master Allaney Jia Doroy unleashed a superb combination play against fellow Woman Fide Master Samantha Glo Revita to gain significant material advantage, with the latter resigning after 41 moves of the King’s Indian Defense.
NU fell to the second spot with 10.5 points.
Princess Nicole Ballete then scored NU’s second win to salvage a 2-2, punishing Arena Fide Master Sara Francine Olendo’s miscalculated 13th move tactical play that resulted in material advantage which she successfully protected for a comfortable endgame win.
Ateneo de Manila University also cracked the top three after a 3-1 performance against University of the Philippines to go up to 8.5 points.
Alexis Anne Oseña (Board 3) remained perfect with her fourth win in as many matches to go with Kristine Mae Flores’s victory in Board 4.
Laila Camel Nadera (Board 1) and Glesit Marie Tatoy (Board 2) then settled for draws to help take Ateneo’s second-season win.
