Quizon lifts Phl woodpushers

BUDAPEST, Hungary — International Master Daniel Quizon served as the lone bright spot for the Philippines as he ripped super Grandmaster Dimitrij Kollars of Germany in a stinging 3-1 victory in the second round of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad at the BOK Sports Hall here.

Quizon’s win — a 54-move result of a Sicilian duel — on top board was the silver lining to what was a bleak day for the Filipinos, whose women’s squad also stumbled in a stinging 3.5-.5 defeat to the powerhouse Americans.

It was a triumph that saw the 20-year-old World Cup veteran, whose trip is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission through chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, sports commissioner Ed Hayco and National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief Prospero “Butch” Pichay, transformed what appeared like a losing position into what turned out as one of the biggest upsets of the round.

“I refused to lose hope,” said the soft-spoken Quizon, who donned the same lucky black and reversible nylon jacket that helped him tie for first in a super-strong meet in Abu Dhabi early this month.

It also pushed the two-time national champion just two rating points away from breaching the 2500 plateau and claiming the GM title outright after his elo rating jumped to 2498.

Quizon is expected to suit up against Montenegro on board two in the third round in a game where United States-based GM Julio Catalino Sadorra is finally going to suit up on top board after missing the first two days due to previous commitments.

It could have been a better result for the Filipinos though as IM Paulo Bersamina, GM John Paul Gomez all had drawing chances but could not consummate it and succumbed to GMs Matthias Bluebaum, Alexander Donchenko and Frederik Svane, respectively.

Same with the Filipinas, who appeared poised to slay the heavily favored Americans before WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and 16-year-old sensation Ruelle Canino painfully blundered away their winning chances and fell to IMs Carissa Yip and Anna Zatonskih on boards two and four.

WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda battled a cramped position from early on before eventually losing to IM Alice Lee on board three after the former’s time ran out.