By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
NATIONAL Masters Jonathan Tan of Davao and Joey Florendo of Zamboanga will try to push Mindanao’s cause in tonight’s resumption of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Tag Team Online Tournament at 6 pm via chess.com.
The event every Tuesday, which started on September 21, will pit the tandem of NMs Tan and Florendo from the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates against the pair of Cebu's Jimmy Ty and Dennis Navales.
In the opener, Surigao lost to Iloilo’s Grandmaster Joey Antonio and NM John Michael Silvederio, but rebounded by defeating Lapu Lapu’s NM Edsel Montoya and Brylle Arellano.
“Medyo underdog atong Mindanao sa PCAP tag team, pero kombate exciting gihapon ang veteran and youthful tandem of Tan, our 1988 Philippine junior champion and Florendo who is a former stronghold of the UST Growling Tigers when they won the UAAP championships,” said Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo.
The Pasig King Pirates (GM Darwin Laylo and FM David Elorta) and San Juan Predators (IMs Rolando Nolte and Ricardo de Guzman) share the lead in the Northern Division with a 2-0 record. While the Camarines Sur Soaring Eagles of Ellan Asuela and Virgen Gil Ruaya hold the solo lead (2-0) on the Southern side.
The 12-team single-elimination round will end on October 19. The quarterfinals will determine the top four teams for each division onward to the semis on November 2, before the finals set on November 9.
Prizes up for grabs are P25,000 for the champion, P15,000 for runner-up, and P10,000 and P5,000 for the third and fourth placers, respectively.
