By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Iloilo Kisela Knights and Negros Island Region Kingsmen kicked off the 2023 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference with victories on Saturday night, February 18.
The Kisela Knights, now composed exclusively of Ilonggo chess players, opened their campaign with a dominant 19-2 victory over Mindoro Tamaraws to take an early lead in the Southern Division standings.
The Kisela Knights scored a 5-2 victory over the Tamaraws in the blitz event with one full point each from Jovelyn Sepanton (Board 2), Fiona Guirhem (Board 3), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Fritz Bryan Porras (Board 6), and Rolly Parondo, Jr. (Board 7).
The Kisela Knights had a shutout 14-0 win against Mindoro in the rapid event with Mark Jossel Mariano (Board 1), Sepanton, Guirhem, Cesar Mariano, Horizon Villanueva (Board 5), Porras, and Parondo finishing with two full points each.
“It was a good start for our new-look team,” Kisela Knights head coach Hyubs Canto said.
“We lost some veteran players but the hunger and determination of our holdovers were evident in this win,” he added.
The new-look Negros Island Region, for their part, were also quick to show its dominance following a 20-1 annihilation of Cebu Niños to tie the Kisela Knights on top of the standings.
The Kingsmen turned back the Niños in the blitz event, 6-1, via full points each from David Elorta (Board 1), Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Rogelio Antonio, Jr. (Board 4), Joel Pimentel (Board 5), and Rolzon Roullo (Board 7), and splits by Mari Turquiza (Board 2) and Michael Ocido (Board 6).
The Negrenses were also dominant in the rapid game against the Cebuanos, as Elorta, Turquiza, Galas, Antonio, Pimentel, Ocido, and Jerich Cajeras (Board 7) finished with two full points each.
“It was a good showing by our new players, especially Joey [Antonio], who controlled the senior board, as well as Ocido and Cajeras, who have solid debuts,” Kingsmen team owner Antonio Olendo said.
The Kisela Knights and the Kingsmen will have an early clash in the second game on Wednesday evening, February 22./ASC, WDJ