MANILA – Iloilo Kisela Knights advances in the Southern Division finals of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) first conference after defeating Toledo Trojans in two sets on Saturday night.
The Kisela Knights, however, was threatened in the first set of their division semifinals encounter with the Trojans as the match ended at 10.5-10.5 all to force an “Armageddon.”
In “Armageddon,” the Knights were able to topple the Trojans, 2-1, to take the first set behind the efforts of Giovanni Mejia, Cesar Mariano, Fritz Bryan Porras, and John Michael Silvederio.
The Knights bounced back in the second set with a 15.5-5.5 triumph over Trojans to reach the Southern Division finale against Camarines Soaring Eagle on March 31.
Mejia, Mariano, Porras, and Silvederio carried the fight for Kisela Knights in the second-set blitz game with victories, while Grand Master Joey Antonio settled for a draw.
In the rapid event, Antonio, Mariano, Porras, Silvederio, and Cherry Ann Mejia ended up with wins against the Trojans, while Karl Viktor Ochoa settled for a draw.
Kisela Knights team owner Leo Sotaridona admitted that the close first-set win was something the team needs to build on ahead of their division finals collision with the Soaring Eagle.
“The team is going back to the drawing board revisiting the overall team strategy,” Sotaridona said. “We just want to congratulate Toledo for giving us a good fight until the end.”
The Negros Kingsmen, on the other hand, saw its campaign come to an end following two set defeat at the hands of the Soaring Eagle. Camarines won the first set, 13-8, before repeating in the second set, 12-9.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Division, Laguna Heroes entered the division finals with a win over Manila Indios Bravos, while San Juan Predators edged Caloocan Loadmanna Knights in two sets./PN
