by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA, Philippines—Defending champion Laguna Heroes scored back to back victories in the 2021 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) dubbed as Grandmaster Wesley So Cup on Saturday, July 3, 2021 at chess.com platform.
The Laguna chess team, backed up by Greatech Philippines, Inc., SDC Global Choice, Jolly Smile Dental Clinic, KALARO and Rotary Club of Nuvali, easily dominated the Quezon City Simba’s Tribe, 17-4, in the first match.
Duplicating its solid performance, Laguna continued their winning streak at the expense of Olongapo Rainbow Team 7, 12-9, in the second match.
Heroes won the blitz game with wins by two-time Asian Junior Champion Grandmaster Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr.(Board 1), FIDE Master Austin Jacob Literatus (Board 2), FIDE Master Jose Efren Bagamasbad (Board 4, won by default), Grandmaster John Paul Gomez (Board 5) and Vince Angelo Medina (Board 6) against National Master Levi Mercado, Nazario Ubanan, National Master Gefer Imbuido and National Master Kim Kenneth Santos of Olongapo, respectively.
The Dr. Fred Paez-owned team also made sure to win the game by ending the rapid category with wins from Literatus (Board 2), Bagamasbad (Board 5, won by default), Medina (Board 6) and a draw by Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo (Board 7) against Ubanan, Imbuido and Lou Antonio Rivera, in that order.
Despite a 7-all deadlock in the rapid game, Laguna won the match, 12-9.
“I am happy because we have won the match. We will prepare for this week’s match as the elimination nears to end,” Dr. Fred Paez said, one of the four co-team owners of the Laguna Heroes together with Mr. David Nithyananthan of KALARO, Engr. Benjamin Dy of SDC Global Choice and Engr. Jonathan Mamaril of Oregon, USA.
The defending champion Laguna Heroes and Caloocan Load Manna Knights tallied identical 23-6 win-loss records to share 3rd and 4th placers in the Northern division standing while Olongapo (0-29) remains scoreless in 29 outings.
In other results, San Juan Predators routed Cavite Spartans, 19-2, and Caloocan Load Manna Knights, 12-9, Manila Indios Bravos toppled Pasig City King Pirates, 13.5-7.5, and Antipolo Cobras, 12-9 and Rizal Batch Towers force 2 Armageddon tie breaker after 10.5 all deadlock over Isabela Knight Raiders and Cagayan Kings