MANILA – Negros Island Region Kingsmen maintained its unblemished slate in the 2023 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines All-Filipino Conference, while Iloilo Kisela Knights also scored twin wins over the weekend.
The Kingsmen opened the evening with a 13.5-7.5 victory over Team Arriba Iriga City-Team Camarines before following it up with a 17-4 rout of Tacloban Vikings for a 9-0 record in the Southern Division standings.
After being held to a 3.5-3.5 draw in blitz game, NIR bounced back in the rapid game vs Team Arriba, 10-4, with Mari Joseph Turquiza, Bernadette Galas, Rogelio Antonio Jr., Ellan Asuela and Jerich Cajeras scoring two points each.
The Kingsmen edged the Vikings in the blitz event, 5-2, with full points each from David Elorta (Board 1), Antonio (Board 4), Asuela (Board 5), Ted Ian Montoyo (Board 6) and Rolzon Roullo (Board 7).
The Negrenses then pounded the Vikings in the rapid game, 12-2, with Elorta, Galas (Board 3), Antonio, Asuela, Montoyo and Roullo delivering the full two points each for their squad.
The Kisela Knights, meanwhile, stayed at second place with a 7-2 win-loss record after scoring a 16-5 victory over the Vikings followed by a 17.5-6.5 triumph over the Cebu Ninos.
The Kisela Knights walloped the Vikings in blitz event, 6-1, with full points each from Mark Mariano (Board 2), Fiona Geeneweth Guirhem (Board 3), Cesar Mariano (Board 4), Fritz Bryan Porras (Board 5), Rolly Parondo Jr. (Board 6) and Lloyd Lanciola (Board 7).
The Ilonggos also dominated the Vikings in the rapid game, 10-4, with Guirhem, Cesar Mariano, Parondo and Lanciola connecting two points each and Jovelyn Sepanton (Board 1) and Mark Mariano splitting their points.
The Kisela Knights also showed their way over Ninos in blitz, 5.5-1.5, with Horizon Villanueva (Board 1), Guirhem, Cesar Mariano, Porras and Parondo having full points each and Lanciola with half point.
The Ilonggos also prevailed over the Cebuanos in the rapid event, 12-2, with Villanueva, Mark Mariano, Guirhem, Cesar Mariano, Porras and Parondo delivering full two points each./PN