FINISHING eight-place in the 12-team Southern division eliminations with a 14-20 win-loss record, the Cagayan de Oro Higalas are optimistic they could get into the top-eight quarterfinals of the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference.
Three of the four Mindanao teams, namely Davao Eagles, Zamboanga Sultans, and Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates had already made it to the top-six with outright playoff berths.
The remaining eight teams in the wild card will go to Saturday’s play-in knockout to complete the Round of 16 quarterfinals round for the two divisions combined.
In the north, the twice-to-beaten Isabela and Rizal will confront Cavite and Quezon, respectively. And so the south’s No. 7 Camarines against No. 10 Cebu and No. 8 Cagayan de Oro opposite No. 9 Palawan.
“We’re confident to beat again the all-female masters of Palawan, especially with our twice-to-beat advantage. Pero wala lang gyod kumpyansa kay men’s conqueror kanang Queen’s Gambit team sa Palawan,” the CMOCA’s reliable board 6 Jaime Joshua Frias II told Gold Star Daily.
During their inter-division crossover tiff, the CMOCA Higalas ― anchored by Johnnel Balquin and Fide Master Anthony Makinano on the top boards ― whipped the Palawan Queen’s Gambit, 16-5.
With team franchise owner Dr. Ariel Potot recently donating five pieces each of chess mats and clocks plus P15,000 cash, the CMOCA Higalas may well be motivated enough to qualify in PCAP’s playoff round in just their maiden appearance.
