By Adrian Stewart Co
Iloilo Kisela Knights maintained their perfect slate in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference with a pair of victories on Saturday night.
The Kisela Knights opened their double header with 16.5-4.5 domination over Camarines Soaring Eagle before following it up with a 17.5-3.5 beating of Toledo City Trojans.
Iloilo survived Camarines in blitz game, 4.5-2.5, behind wins by John Michael Silvederio (Board 1), Karl Ochoa (Board 2), Cherry Ann Mejia (Board 3), and Rolly Parnondo Jr. (Board 4), and a draw by Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 3).
The Kisela Knights also dominated the Soaring Eagle in the rapid game, 12-2, with Silvederio, Ochoa, Mejia, Antonio, Parnondo and Horizon Villanueva (Board 6) scoring two pointers.
The Kisela Knights maintained its momentum against the Trojans with Antonio (Board 1), Ochoa (Board 2), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Parnondo (Board 5), Fritz Porras (Board 6) and Silvederio (Board 7) scoring wins and Mejia (Board 3) settling for draw.
Iloilo also went on to defeat Toledo City in the rapid game, 11-3, on two-pointers each from Ochoa, Mejia, Mariano, Parnondo and Porras netting two-points each and Antonio finishing with a draw.
Kisela Knights head coach Hubert Canto credited the arrival of their two homegrown players in Parnondo and Villanueva as the two have given the squad flexibility to rotate its players.
“Happy with the result. Overwhelming ang performance nila. Malaki ang naitutulong ng added homegrown namin. And with the flexibility of our lineup, we can strategize in a way na ‘di madaling mapaghandaan ng kalaban,” Canto said.
Unlike the Kisela Knights, the Negros Kingsmen saw its erstwhile unbeaten slate tarnished after suffering an 11.5-9.5 loss to Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates on top of their 13-8 triumph over the Trojans.
The Kisela Knights hope to continue their winning ways against the Checkmates and the Kingsmen on February 2. Negros’ other match for the said day is against Cagayan De Oro- Misamis Oriental Chess Association./ASC, WDJ