Favored teams show mettle in preseason of local chess league

January 12 ------ The San Juan Predators, Laguna Heroes, and Manila Indios Bravos lived up to hype in the preseason games of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) last Saturday, January 9. Powered by Grandmaster (GM) Oliver Barbosa and Woman International Master (IM) Jan Jodilyn Fronda, the Predators slaughtered the Lapu-Lapu City bets, 19.5-1.5, while the GM John Paul Gomez-led Heroes clobbered the Iriga City Oragons, 15-6, in the 14-game matches.

Bucking the absence of GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, the country's highest-rated player, the Bravos thwarted the Iloilo Kisela Kings, 13-8, to serve notice of their title bid in PCAP's inaugural tournament set to start January 16. Although the United States-based Barbosa was held to draws by National Master (NM) Merben Roque in both rapid and blitz games on board 1, the Predators struck hard in the lower boards. Fide Master Narquinden Reyes, Fronda, IM Ricky de Guzman, Narquingel Reyes, NM Michael Gotel, and Arena Grandmaster Gavin Ong swept their opponents from boards 2 to 7 to underscore the depth of the Predators owned by Michael Angelo Chua.

Fronda, the reigning national women's champion, asserted her supremacy over Cristy Cabungcag in their board 3 encounter. Gomez, a national team mainstay, beat NM Glenn Artuz in their blitz game on board 1 to preside over the victory of the Laguna Heroes of playing coach-owner Fred Paez and manager David Nithyananthan. Manila leaned on IM Marvin Miciano, subbing for Sadorra on board 1, who drew with GM Rogelio Antonio (blitz) and NM Giovanni Mejia (rapid), and IM Cris Ramayrat, who swept NM Cesar Mariano for a perfect 3 points in the senior board encounter.

Unheralded Isabela showed its mettle with a 16-5 victory over the all-female Palawan Queen's Gambit. Local bet Alvin Aguinaldo shone for Isabela when he bested WIM Catherine Perena Secopito in blitz and WIM Shania Mae Mendoza in rapid. In other matches, Camarines whipped Caloocan, 14.5-6.5; Negros trounced Quezon City, 14-7; Zamboanga edged Cagayan, 11-10; Toledo defeated Antipolo, 12-9; Pasig nipped Cebu, 11-10, Rizal subdued Cordova, 13-8; Mindoro downed Cavite, 13-5-7.5; and Olongapo repulsed Surigao, 11-7.

Though Caloocan lost, IM Paulo Bersamina shone individually as he stunned GM Mark Paragua of Camarines in their two-game mini-match, winning in blitz and drawing in rapid. WIM Bernadette Galas of Cordova swept her blitz and rapid matches to match the effort of teammate NM Edsel Montoya, who won both matches against IM Rolando Nolte of Rizal. Unknown Jake Tumaliuan of Cagayan shocked IM Chito Garma of Zamboanga in their board 1 tussle. Apart from Sadorra, other notables who skipped the preseason were Asia's first GM Eugene Torre (Rizal), GM Rogelio Barcenilla Jr (Laguna), and GM Darwin Laylo (Pasig).

Source: rappler.com/sports