PHL suffers first loss in World Chess Olympiad

GRANDMASTER Gabriel Sargissian stopped cold the winning run of International Master Oliver Dimakiling as third seed Armenia held off the Philippines, 2.5-1.5 in the fourth round of the 40^th World Chess Olympiad Friday night at the WOW Convention Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

It was the first loss of Dimakiling after winning his first three matches. Grandmasters Wesley So, Oliver Barbosa and Mark Paragua drew their respective matches against fancied opponents to minimize the damage.

So halved the point with GM Aronian Levon, the highest ranked player in the field with 2816 Elo rating; Barbosa survived the attack of GM Sergei Movsesian; and Paragua settled for a fighting draw against GM Vladimir Akopian.

Meanwhile, the women’s team toppled Mexico, 3-1, behind Woman International Master Catherine Perena and Woman National Masters Janelle Mae Frayna and Jan Jodilyn Fronda.

Perena downed Woman FIDE Master Diana Carime real Pereyra; Frayna rolled to her fourth win in as many matches at the expense of WIM Lorena Alejan Mendoza Velazquez; and Fronda subdued Janet Sarai Vazquez Flores.

WFM Rulp Ylem Jose failed to complete a shut-out after bowing to Ivette Ale Garcia Morales on board 2. Noli Cruz