MANILA – Iloilo Kisela Knight continued its strong showing in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines Wesley So Cup with another pair of victories on Wednesday evening.
The defending champion raised its Southern Division standings to 15-0 after its 16.5-4.5 domination of Mindoro and a close 11.5-9.5 escape over Cavite in the second game.
Iloilo dominated Mindoro in the blitz event, 5.5-1.5, courtesy of wins by Karl Victor Ochoa (Board 1), Hovhannez Gabuzyan (Board 2), Cherry Ann Mejia (Board 3), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 4), and Cesar Mariano (Board 7) and a draw by Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 5).
The Kisela Knights also walloped Mindoro in the rapid event, 11-3, with full two-points each by Ochoa, Mejia, Antonio, John Michael Silvederio (Board 6) and Mariano and a draw by Parondo.
The Kisela Knights was forced to a 3.5-3.5 deadlock by Cavite in the blitz game with only Gabuzyan (Board 1), Antonio and Silvederio getting the full points and Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem (Board 3) settling for a split.
The Kisela Knights also had a tough time against Cavite in the rapid event where they just pulled off an 8-6 victory on two-pointers by Gabuzyan, Guirhem and Silvederio and one point each by Parondo and Fritz Porras (Board 7).
“We are just grateful to be able to pull off this twin victory and stay undefeated,” said Kisela Knights head coach Hubert Canto. “It was a tough game for us, especially in the Cavite game, but good for us we were able to get the separation in the rapid.”
Unlike the Kisela Knights, the Wednesday evening was not that kind for the Negros Kingsmen as they dropped their two matches as they slumped to 10-5 in the Southern Division standings.
The Kingsmen first suffered a close 11.5-9.5 at the hands of powerhouse San Juan before being beaten by Pasig, 13-8, in the second game.
“It was not our night. Our players were outperformed by our opponents,” said Kingsmen team manager Nayk Segismar. “Good thing we are still midway in the season, we can still correct our mistakes.”/PN
