Toledo captures  PCAP crown

The Toledo-Xignex Trojans are the 2025 PCAP All-Filipino champions.   

Led by GM Oliver Barbosa and Cherry Ann Mejia, the Trojans completed a convincing 13-8, 14-7 win over Pasig Pirates in their two-match title showdown last Wednesday. 

 Barbosa swept Sherwin Tiu, 3-0, while Mejia crushed Sherily Cua, 3-0, as the Trojans finally ended years of disappointments and captured the championship in the prestigious competition sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Land and PCWorx.    Kim Steven Yap also stepped up in a big way for Toledo as he blanked Jerome Villanueva, 3-0, on board five.   

Joel Pimentel was the fourth Toledo player on the winners’ circle with a 2.5-.5 triumph over Omar Bagalacsa.   

IM Idelfonso Datu and IM Petronio Roca salvaged some measure of pride for Pasig as they hurdled Ellan Asuela and Edgardo Garma, respectively, with similar 2-1 scores.   

Toledo’s 14-7 victory came after an inspiring 13-8 win in the first set with Joel Banawa, Mejia, Barlo Nadera and Pimentel providing the crucial victories over Datu, Rowelyn Acedo, Roca and Bagalacsa, respectively.   

With the triumph, Toledo ended the five-year dominance of Northern Conference teams over their Southern counterparts.   

Toledo also became only the second Southern Conference team to win the grand title following Iloilo Kisela Knights in Season 1 Second Conference.   

“Five years. One dream. Today, we live it,” said Toledo team owner Atty. Jeah Gacang in her Facebook post. “It’s hard to put this feeling into words.

After five long years, after three straight runner-up finishes, after every “almost” that almost broke us — today, we are finally PCAP All Filipino Conference Grand Champions,” added Gacang.   

Gacang also thanked “Toledo’s founders and pillars — John Signe, Jose Rafael Legaspi Jojo Legaspi, Bonn Rainauld Tibod, Manny Trojans, who never stopped dreaming and families, supporters, and community, who never left our side. Today, the South stands tall again.”   

San Juan Predators, led by GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr. and Karl Victor Ochoa, whipped Bacolod Blitzers, 18-3, to clinch third place.  

Before reaching the grand finals, Toledo slammed the door on Bacolod, 15.5-5.5-17-4, to capture the Southern Conference, while Pasig eliminated San Juan,14-7, 8.5-12.5 and 2-1 in Armageddon.    PCAP, the first and only professional chess league in the country, is headed by President-Chairman Atty. Paul Elauria, and Chairman Michael Angelo Chua.