MANILA – Iloilo Kisela Knights and Negros Kingsmen capped off their 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines Wesley So Cup elimination round matches with victories on Wednesday night.
The defending champions Kisela Knights finished on top of the Southern Division standings with 32-2 win-loss record following a 19-2 beating of Tacloban.
Iloilo edged Tacloban in blitz game, 7-0, on victories by Hovhannes Gabuzyan (Board 1), Giovanni Mejia (Board 2), Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem (Board 3), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Board 4), Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 5), Cesar Mariano (Board 6) and Mark Mariano (Board 7).
The Kisela Knights also defeated Tacloban in the rapid event, 12-2, with Gabuzyan, Mejia, Guirhem, Antonio and the Marianos snagging the full two points each.
The Kisela Knights will advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday against either Tacloban or Palawan, which will battle in a play-in tournament on Saturday.
“We’re grateful that we maintained the No. 1 spot. Hindi kami mahihirapan na makaabot sa finals. Still, ‘wag lang kami kampante. I believe we can defend our title if we continue playing well in every game,” said Kisela Knights head coach Hubert Canto.
The Kingsmen, on the other hand, finished as the no.2 seed team going into the playoffs with 27-7 win-loss record following an 18-3 victory over Cagayan de Oro.
The Kingsmen prevailed over Cagayan de Oro in the blitz game, 5-2, following victories by David Elorta (Board 1), Tran Tuan Minh (Board 2), Bernadette Galas (Board 3), Ellan Asuela (Board 5) and Joel Pimentel (Board 6).
Negros also defeated Cagayan de Oro in rapid event, 13-1, with Elorta, Tran, Galas, Asuela, Pimentel and Ted Montoyo (Board 6) getting the full two points and Edmundo Gatus (Board 4) splitting.
“This is our best elimination round finish in the PCAP. We are hoping that we can go all the way this time because we always fall short in the playoffs before,” said Kingsmen co-team manager Nayk Segismar./PN
