By Adrian Stewart Co
Iloilo Kisela Knights and Negros Kingsmen prevailed over their two matches in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup on Saturday night, June 25.
After tasting their first loss on Wednesday, the Kisela Knights bounced back with an 18.5-2.5 beating of Cagayan followed by a 12-9 toppling of Caloocan to stay on top in Southern Division at 20-1.
Against Cagayan, Iloilo scored a 5.5-1.5 win in blitz on full points by Hovhannes Gabuzyan (Board 2), Cherry Ann Mejia (Board 3), John Michael Silvederio (Board 5), Fritz Porras (Board 6), and Horizon Villanueva (Board 7), and a split by Karl Ochoa (Board 1).
The Kisela Knights also dominated Cagayan in rapid game, 13-1, with two points each from Gabuzyan, Mejia, Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Silvederio, Porras, and Villanueva, and a draw from Ochoa.
Iloilo cruised to a 5-2 triumph against Caloocan in the blitz game with one point each from Mejia, Mariano, Porras, and Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 7), and half point from Gabuzyan (Board 1) and Silvederio.
The Kisela Knights, however, were held to a 7-7 draw by Caloocan in rapid event with only Mejia, Mariano and Porras ending up with two points each and Ochoa (Board 2) settling for a point.
The Kingsmen also had a perfect evening following an 18-3 annihilation over Rizal and an 18-3 manhandling of Isabela. They currently have a 15-3 record in the Southern Division standings.
Negros walloped Rizal in the blitz event, 5-2, with full points each from Brylle Arellano (Board 2), Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Edmundo Gatus (Board 4), Rolzon Roullo (Board 6), and Ted Ian Montoyo (Board 7).
The Kingsmen were also dominant against Rizal in the rapid event, 13-1, with two points each from Arellano, Galas, Gatus, Ellan Asuela (Board 5), Roullo, and Montoyo, and a split from Joel Pimentel (Board 1).
The Negrenses also defeated Isabela in the blitz game, 5-2, with full points each from Pimentel, Arellano, Galas and Montoyo and split point from Gatus and Asuela.
The Kingsmen cruised to a 13-1 triumph against Isabela in the rapid game with two pointers each from Pimentel, Arellano, Galas, Asuela, Edsel Montoya (Board 6) and Montoyo and one point from Gatus./ASC, WDJ