MANILA – Iloilo Kisela Knights and Negros Kingsmen maintained their 1-2 standings in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup with a pair of wins each on Wednesday night.
The defending champions Kisela Knights solidified its hold of the No.1 spot in the Southern Division standings following a 20-1 annihilation of Cagayan de Oro and 16-5 beating of Camarines-Iriga.
Iloilo prevailed over Cagayan de Oro in the blitz game, 6-1, on full points each by Hovhannez Gabuzyan (Board 1), Cherry Ann Mejia (Board 3), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 4), Fritz Porras (Board 5), Cesar Mariano (Board 6), and Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 7).
The Kisela Knights also prevailed against Cagayan de Oro in the rapid event, 14-0, with Gabuzyan, Karl Victor Ochoa (Board 2), Mejia, Antonio, Porras, Mariano and Parondo all winning their matches.
Facing Camarines-Iriga, the Kisela Knights barely prevailed in the blitz event, 4-3, with only Gabuzyan, Antonio and Parondo notching the full points and Ochoa and Horizon Villanueva (Board 6) settling for 0.5.
The Kisela Knights, however, bounced back in the rapid game with a 12-2 domination on full two-pointers apiece from Gabuzyan, Ochoa, Antonio, Porras, Villanueva and Parondo.
“These victories were very much helpful for us as we move closer to the playoffs round,” said Kisela Knights head coach Hubert Canto. “These are good tests for us as we anticipate a tough title-retention bid.”
The Kingsmen, on the other hand, stayed at second behind Kisela Knights with 24-7 win-loss slate following a 21-0 blanking of Pagadian PCL and a 11.5-9.5 escape win over Surigao.
Brylle Arellano (Board 1), Tran Tuan Minh (Board 2), Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Edmundo Gatus (Board 4), Edsel Montoya (Board 5), Joel Pimentel (Board 6) and Alfredo Dumalag (Board 7) all won their blitz and rapid games against Pagadian.
The Kingsmen, however, were tested against Surigao as they were tied at 7-7 in rapid game before the Negrenses pulled off a 4.5-2.5 win in blitz courtesy of full points by David Elorta (Board 1), Tran, Galas and Pimentel and a split by Gatus./PN
