By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negros Kingsmen settled for another split game in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) GM Wesley So Cup on Wednesday evening as the Iloilo Kisela Knights dominated its two matches.
The Kingsmen opened the evening with a 14.5-6.5 annihilation over Olongapo Rainbow Team 7 before suffering a close 12.5-8.5 defeat to Manila Indio Bravos for a 7-7 record.
The Kingsmen had a great blitz game against Rainbow Team 7 after triumphs from Steven Breckenridge (Board 2), Kajoy Acedo (Board 3), Nelson Bandal Jr. (Board 4), and Joel Pimentel (Board 5) and a draw by Nelson Mariano III (Board 1),
Negros also edged Olongapo in the rapid event, 10-4, via wins by Mariano (Board 1), Acedo (Board 3), Bandal Jr. (Board 4), Pimentel (Board 5), and Nayk Segismar (Board 7).
Negros, however, struggled against Manila after settling for a 3.5-3.5 draw in the blitz game on wins by Breckenridge (Board 1), Acedo (Board 3) and Adrian Dela Cruz (Board 7) before suffering a 9-5 defeat in the rapid event.
The Kisela Knights, on the other hand, started the Wednesday night with an 18.5-2.5 domination over Cavite Spartans before they followed it up with a 16-5 beating of Cagayan Kings to improve to 10-3 win-loss record.
Against the Spartans, the Kisela Knights dominated the blitz game behind wins by Karl Victor Ochoa (Board 1), Kamil Dragun (Board 2), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), John Michael Silvederio (Board 5), Dennis Bernas (Board 6), and Mark Jossel Mariano (Board 7) and a draw by Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem (Board 3).
Iloilo team was also impressive in rapid against Cavite via victories by Rogelio Antonio (Board 1), Dragun (Board 2), Cherry Ann Mejia (Board 3), Silvederio (Board 5), Bernas (Board 6), and Fritz Bryan Porras (Board 7).
Iloilo also edged Cagayan in the blitz event after wins by Mejia (Board 3), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Bernas (Board 5), Silvederio (Board 6), and Porras (Board 7) and draws by Dragun (Board 1) and Antonio (Board 2).
The Kisela Knights also edged the Kings in rapid events on victories by Dragun (Board 1), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Silvederio (Board 6), and Porras (Board 7) and draws by Antonio (Board 2) and Bernas (Board 5)./ASC, WDJ