Manila chessers edge San Juan in PCAP duel

Standings
North — Manila 19-0; Pasig 16-3; Cagayan 15-4; San Juan 14-4; Manila-AQ 13-6; Cavite  8-11; Quezon City  7-11, Isabela  5-15; Paranaque  1-17.  
South — Toledo 15-2; Camarines  11-7; Iriga  11-8; Bacolod  10-7, Koronadal   8-11; Zamboanga   7-11; Mindoro   4’14; Tacloban   1-17; Bangkok  1-18.

DEFENDING champion Manila Load Manna Knights brought down San Juan Predators, 11-10, to keep their perfect record in the 2025 PCP GM Wesley So Cup chess team championships last Wednesday.

IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia delivered for Manila as he swept Arden Reyes of San Juan in both blitz and rapid matches, 3-0.

IM Ronald Dableo and David Elorta also stepped up in Manila’s 19th straight victory in the 18-team, two-division tournament organized by the ProfessionalChess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) in honor of GM So.

Dableo edged Karl Victor Ochoa, 2-1, on board two, while  Elorta beat Narquingel Reyes, 2-1, on board six as the Load Manna Knights escaped with the win by  the slimmest of margins.

The top board matches pitting Indonesian IM Yoseph Taher  of Manila against GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr. of San Juan and GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr.  against IM Ricardo de Guzman ended in  fighting 1.5-1.5 draws.

Julius Gonzales and Arvie Lozano saved the day for San Juan as they won over Jhulo Goloran, 3-0, on board five and WIM Shania Mae Mendoza, 2-1, on the female board.

Pasig Pirates also made their presence felt as they posted back-to-back victories over guest team Parañaque City-PATTS-UKCC, 21-0, and San Juan, 15-6 and vaulted into solo second place with 16-3 win-loss record.

The Pirates relied on GM Gombosuren Munkhgal of Mongolia,  who outduelled Barcenilla, 2-1; Sherily Cua, who blanked Lozano, 3-0;   Sherwin Tiu, who whipped Gonzales, 3-0; and Kevin Arquero, who toppled Arden Reyes, 2.5-.5,  to roll back the Predators.

De Guzman nipped IM Chito Garma, 2-1, for  San Juan.

Sharing the limelight were Manila AQ Prime Assests, who swept Cavite Spartans, 19-2, and Cagayan Kings, 16-5, on victories by GM Zhamsaran Tsydypov of Russia, GM Oliver Barbosa, Ruther Barredo and Nelson Mariano III.

Tsydypov dumped Marc Francis Balanay, Barbosa outclassed  Don Tyrone de los Santos, Barredo beat Anwar Cabugatan, and Mariano  overwhelmed Jake Tumaliuan.

Over in the Southern Conference Toledo Xignex Trojans  won by default over Bacolod Blitzers, 21-0, and Camarines Eagles, 15.5-5.5, to keep the solo lead with 15-2 record.

Camarines outduelled Koronadal Dreamweavers, 15.5-5.5, to miantain second place with 11-7 slate, while Iriga Oragons outplayed guest Bacolod  Double Bishop, 14-7, and Koronadal, 11-10, for third place with 11-8 card.

PCAP, the country’s first and only play-for-pay league, is headed by Atty. Paul Elauria as President-Commissioner, and Michael Angelo Chua as Chairman.

The import-flavored tournament, which is being supported by San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Land and PCWorx, is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Atty. Francisco J. Rivera.