MANILA – Negros Kingsmen kicked off its 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Third Conference campaign with a 21-0 rout of Pagadian over at the Estancia Mall in Pasig.
Led by FIDE Masters David Elorta and Mari Joseph Turqueza, Women International Master Bernadette Galas, National Master Edmundo Gatus and Ted Ian Montoyo, the Kingsmen blanked Pagadian in both rapid and blitz events.
Just like all the teams in PCAP, it was also the first time for the Kingsmen to play over the board as the previous conferences were held virtually through chess.com.
After handily beating Pagadian, the Kingsmen also held its own against the Iloilo Kisela Knights but their match still has a pending game, which will be played at a later date.
“There is still one game to be replayed between us and Iloilo,” said Kingsmen co-team owner Antonio Martin Olendo. “But it was a nice game considering we are facing a tough team in Iloilo.”
However, the Kingsmen suffered back-to-back stinging defeats at the hands of Davao Chess Eagles, 14.5-6.5, and Toledo Trojans to wrap up their Pasig matches.
“Despite a 1-2 start, there is no reason for us to press the panic button,” Olendo said. “Actually, this is a sign for us to refocus our strategies heading into sixth round onwards.”
“The format calls for an inter-division round-robin wherein the top eight teams would proceed to the 2nd and 3rd rounds, meeting the guest foreign teams. All scores will also start from zero in the second round,” he added.
Before commencing their Third Conference matches, the Kingsmen received their Third Place trophy from the 2022 PCAP Second Conference Wesley So Cup.
It was the highest finish of the Kingsmen in the five PCAP conferences they played in the first-ever professional chess tournament in the country./PN
