Iloilo survives resilient Davao in PCAP Southern division clash

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Iloilo Kisela Knights prevailed over the tough Davao Chess Eagles in the battle of the top two teams of the Southern division, 11.5-9.5, in the ongoing 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) tournament.

Eager to take over the Kisela Knights’ no.1 spot in the Southern division, the Chess Eagles were on fire the whole game and made it hard for Iloilo to seize any type of momentum.

The score differentials were only in the blitz category when the Kisela Knights edged Davao by just two points, 4.5-2.5 courtesy of clutch wins from NM Fritz Bryan Porras and NM Rolly Parondo Jr.

In the rapid category, both teams ended up in a tie, 7-7 when Iloilo failed to clinch one win in their last two playing boards.

After a hardly-fought series against Davao, the Kisela Knights regained their groove and demolished the Camarines Soaring Eagles, 18-3.

It was a perfect start for Iloilo after only dropping a single playing board in the blitz category and finished the show on a 12-2 closing run in the last seven playing boards.

An emphatic 6-0 run in the last six boards of the rapid category gave the Kisela Knights the dominating exclamation point led by Karl Viktor Ochoa, WFM Cherry Ann Mejia, GM Rogelio Antonio Jr, and NM John Michael Silvederio.

The huge 2-0 PCAP game day helped the Kisela Knights maintain their solo top spot in the Southern division with 383 points and second overall in the conference behind Pasig with 408 points.