SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan — The Philippine men’s chess team clinched the Category B bronze medal after overpowering Panama, 3-1, at the conclusion of the 46th World Chess Olympiad at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre on Sunday.
International Master Pau Bersamina set the tone on board two, dismantling FIDE Master Alexei Tapia Ostolaza’s Sicilian Defense in 32 moves. Grandmaster Darwin Laylo followed with a dominant victory on board four, outmaneuvering FM Efren Andres Ramos Espinoza in 44 moves using a Queen’s Indian Defense to lock in the match win.
Complementing the two victories, IMs Michael Concio, Jr. and Jem Garcia secured draws against IM Roberto Carlos Sanchez Alvarez and IM Jorge Luis Baules Rodriguez on boards one and three, respectively.
The overall result propelled the Philippines to a 32nd-place global finish with 14 match points, sufficient to claim the Category B bronze.
Supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the national men’s squad made a significant jump in international rankings compared to its 59th-place showing during the previous Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary two years prior.
Meanwhile, the Philippine women’s team fell short of its goal to break into the top 20 after absorbing a narrow 1.5-2.5 defeat against 20th-seeded England, dropping to 43rd place overall with 13 match points.
WFM Shania Mae Mendoza scored the solitary win for the women’s team by defeating WGM Elmira Mirzoeva on board four, while WIM Ruelle Canino held WGM Lan Yao to a draw on board two.
However, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda-Grafil conceded their respective matches on boards one and three to FM Bodhana Sivanandan and IM Jouvanka Houska.