By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Negros Island Region Kingsmen kept their unbeaten run in the 2023 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference, while the Iloilo Kisela Knights managed to return to their winning ways on Wednesday, March 1.
The Kingsmen opened the evening with a 14.5-6.5 victory over Toledo-Xigmex Trojan before following it up with a 12.5-8.5 beating of Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates to stay on top of the Southern Division standings with a 7-0 record.
Against the Trojans, Negros scored a 5.5-1.5 victory in the blitz event with full points each by Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Rogelio Antonio, Jr. (Board 4), Ellan Asuela (Board 5), Jerich Cajeras (Board 6), and Edsel Montoya (Board 7) and a split by Joel Pimentel (Board 1).
The Kingsmen also prevailed over the Trojan in the rapid event, 9-5, with Galas, Antonio and Montoya garnering two points each and Pimentel, Mari Jose Turquiza (Board 2) and Asuela contributing one point each.
The Negrenses pulled off a close 4.5-2.5 victory over the Checkmates in a blitz game via full points each from Pimentel, Galas, Antonio, and Asuela and half a point from Rolzon Roullo (Board 7).
The Kingsmen also escaped the Checkmates in the rapid event, 8-6, with Galas and Asuela finishing with two points each, while Pimentel, Turquiza, Ted Ian Montoyo (Board 6), and Roullo were forced to draw by their opponents.
On the other hand, the Kisela Knights had a close 11-10 victory over the Fianchetto Checkmates before scoring a 13-8 win over Arriba Iriga City-Team Camarines for a 5-2 record.
Iloilo lost to Surigao in a blitz, 5-2, but recovered with a 9-5 win in a rapid game with Mark Jossel Mariano, Fritz Bryan Porras, Rolly Parondo Jr., and Lloyd Lanciola delivering two points each and Cesar Mariano splitting his points.
The Ilonggos had a close 4-3 victory over Team Camarines in the blitz event with Mark Mariano (Board 2), Porras (Board 5) and Parondo (Board 6) finishing with full points, while Fiona Guirhem (Board 3) and Lanciola (Board 7) splitting points.
The Kisela Knights also edged Team Camarines in rapid game, 9-5, with Horizon Villanueva (Board 1), Guirhem, Parondo, and Lanciola finishing with two points each and Porras settling for one point./ASC, WDJ