MANILA – Negros Kingsmen and Iloilo Kisela Knights cruised to their third consecutive victories in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines Wesley So Cup on Wednesday night.
With their import still playing in Vietnam, the All-Filipino Kingsmen scored a 14-7 victory against Cebu before following it up with a 20-1 domination against Tacloban.
Against Cebu, Negros barely escaped with a 4-3 victory in the blitz game behind triumphs by David Elorta (Board 1), Joel Pimentel (Board 2), Bernadette Galas (Board 3) and Ellan Asuela (Board 5).
The Kingsmen also prevailed against Cebu in the rapid game, 10-4, courtesy of wins by Pimentel, Galas, Edmundo Gatus (Board 4) and Asuela and draws by Elorta and Edsel Montoya (Board 7).
The Kingsmen were dominant against Tacloban with Elorta, Pimentel, Galas, Gatus, Asuela, Alvin Alcala (Board 6) and Ted Ian Montoyo (Board 7) all scoring wins in blitz and rapid events.
“We will be trying to win as many games as possible as we still await for the availability of our import, who is still playing in Vietnam,” said Negros team manager Nayk Segismar.
The defending champions Kisela Knights, on the other hand, defeated Davao in the first game, 14.5-6.5, before 17-4 annihiliation of Zamboanga in the second game.
Facing Davao, Iloilo pulled off a 4.5-2.5 blitz win behind full points from Hovhannes Gabuzyan (Board 1), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 4) and Cesar Mariano (Board 7) and draws from Karl Ochoa (Board 2), Cherry Mejia (Board 3) and Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 5).
The Kisela Knights also defeated Davao in rapid event, 10-4, with two pointers from Gabuzyan, Antonio and Parondo and splits from Ochoa, Mejia, Fritz Porras (Board 4) and Mariano.
Iloilo, meanwhile, barely escaped against Zamboanga in blitz event, 4-3, with only Ochoa, Mejia, Porras and John Michael Silvederio (Board 7) notching full points.
The Kisela Knights walloped Zamboanga in rapid game, 13-1, with two pointers from Gabuzyan, Ochoa, Mejia, Antonio, Porras and Silvederio and a split from Parondo./PN
