Caloocan suffers its initial defeat in the All-Filipino professional chess tournament, with Iloilo emerging victorious.
Ignite the thrill! The Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference kicked off the second leg of its elimination rounds on Saturday, with Northern teams locking horns against Southern teams.
Fresh victories were carved as Iloilo outmaneuvered Caloocan, who had previously enjoyed an unbeaten streak. In a nail-biting battle, Iloilo bagged 11.5 points against Caloocan's 9.5. Despite Paulo Bersamina's impressive triumph over Joseph Antonio, the many-time national champ, Iloilo's success was not a flash in the pan. They snagged 4 out of 5 boards in the blitz round, securing a commanding 4.5-2.5 lead. Post that, both teams tied in the rapid section, but Iloilo managed to clinch the match.
Licking their wounds, Caloocan swiftly bounced back to inflict a crushing 15.5-5 defeat on Iriga - raising their record to an impressive 12-1.
The defeat for Caloocan paved the way for San Juan to catch up, as they rode their winning streak to a 15-6 victory over Zamboanga and a 14-7 triumph against Camarines. The anticipated match between Mark Paragua of Camarines and Oliver Barbosa of San Juan, both former country No. 1 players, ended in a draw.
Negros, Camarines, and Iloilo currently share the top spot in the Southern division, each boasting a 11-2 record.
The exciting clash between the 12 teams in each division continues, as they engage in a round-robin format before heading into the final round-robin phase.
The PCAP All-Filipino, the country's pioneering chess professional league, is under the Governance of the Games and Amusements Board.
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