MANILA – Iloilo Kisela Knights and Negros Kingsmen widened their winning run further in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines Wesley So Cup by winning their Saturday night assignments.
The defending champions Kisela Knights locked in further on the top spot in Southern Division at 31-2 win-loss slate following a 16-5 triumph over Palawan and 18-3 annihilation of Cebu.
The Kisela Knights escaped with a 4-3 win over Palawan in the blitz game behind full points each by Hovhannez Gabuzyan (Board 1), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 4), Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 5) and Mark Jossel Mariano (Board 7).
The Kisela Knights bounced back in the rapid game with a 12-2 triumph via full two points each from Gabuzyan, Karl Victor Ochoa (Board 2), Antonio, Parondo, Fritz Bryan Porras (Board 6) and Mariano.
Iloilo had a masterful 7-0 beating of Cebu in the blitz game courtesy of Gabuzyan, Ochoa, Ilongga Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem (Board 3), Antonio, Parondo, Cesar Mariano (Board 6) and Horizon Villanueva (Board 7).
The Kisela Knights also prevailed over the Cebuanos in the rapid game, 11-3, on full two points each from Ochoa, Guirhem, Antonio, Parondo and Villanueva and a split by Gabuzyan.
The Kingsmen, on the other hand, secured the second seed in the Southern Division standings at 26-7 after scoring a close 11.5-9.5 escape over Toledo and a 13-9 win over Camarines-Iriga.
Forced to a draw in blitz, Negros pulled off an 8-6 win over Toledo in the rapid via two points by Tran Tuan Minh (Board 2) and Edsel Montoya (Board 7) and splits by David Elorta (Board 1), Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Ellan Asuela (Board 5) and Rolzon Roullo (Board 6).
Against Camarines-Iriga, the Kingsmen were forced to close victories in the blitz event (4-3) and rapid game (8-6) courtesy of full points apiece from Elorta, Tran, Galas and Gatus.
Both the Kisela Knights and the Kingsmen have one game remaining in their elimination round matches on Wednesday before moving on to the playoffs round beginning on Saturday/PN
