CHECKMATED by a pawn, Woman FIDE Master Ruelle ‘Tawing’ Canino of the Philippines will play black Monday night (Manila time), hoping to even the score against Woman Grandmaster Anna Shukman of Russia in the ongoing 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Cup in Batumi, Georgia.
A loss or a draw would mean an early exit for the 17-year-old Filipina from Cagayan de Oro City in the prestigious event, which serves as a qualifier for the Women's World Chess Championship. Top finishers in the tournament will earn entry to the world title match.
“It’s really tough to face the 2025 World Girls Champion (Shukman) over the board. We can only hope and pray that our little Tawing can recover in Game 2’s must-win situation and force the Armageddon tiebreaker,” said her father, Ruel Canino.
In the first game played Sunday night (Manila time), Canino, playing white, opened with 1.d4, leading to a sharp Ragozin system in the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
Playing for the first time in the World Cup, Shukman used significant time in the opening phase and was able to develop her favored bishop pair.
The game remained balanced until Canino, down to just 48 seconds on her clock, blundered with Ne2 on move 22.
In a post-game interview with ChessBase.com, Shukman admitted she didn’t find the best refutation, but said she had enough resourceful moves to gain the upper hand.
A relentless kingside assault ended with Shukman checkmating Canino with a g5 pawn thrust on move 37.
“Tawing played the opening solidly, but just one missed calculation in a panic-time situation spoiled it all. The Russian champ played a better game tactically,” said Canino’s longtime Cagayan de Oro coach and trainer, Jaime Joshua Frias II.
