By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
RELYING on the veterans and the present crop of young Filipino masters, Iloilo, San Juan, and Caloocan survived the rigors of semifinal matches yesterday, even as Camarines is hoping for a fair review of its match with Penang, Malaysia in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines' (PCAP) season-ending 3rd Conference.
With the iconic Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr, a grizzled Olympiad campaigner and many-time national open champion, providing a perfect six of six performance on board one, the 2nd Conference ruler Iloilo Kisela Knights swept Lapu-Lapu, 13.5-7.5 and 12-9 in two sets.
The San Juan Predators, fronted by the experienced pair of GM Oliver Barbosa and International Master Rolando Norte had surprisingly upstaged the strong side of the GMs Rogelio Barcenilla Jr and John Paul Gomez-bannered Laguna heroes, 16.5-4.5 to10.5-5, and five-two.
A switch on the positioning of players on the top boards and some drastic substitution after a 3.5-all blitz standoff proved to be the Heroes’ undoing as the Predators devoured them in the rapid contest via an ego-tripping 13-one steamrolling that eventually shattered their confidence in the next blitz showdown.
Meanwhile, the Caloocan LoadManna Knights, powered by the young hopefuls of the Philippine Team in IMs Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia, withstood the GM Roland Salvador and Fide Master David Elorta-led Pasig King Pirates in the pulsating Armageddon play, 5.5-1.5 to five-10.5, and two-one.
Both Bersamina and Garcia overwhelmed Eric Labog Jr and Elorta after their teammate Nelson Villanueva yielded to Kevin Arquero in the three-board blitz tiebreaker.
In the most attention-grabbing development of the night, the Penang bets ― whose the only Malaysian foreign squad left from the four neighboring Asian countries of Singapore, Thailand, and China ― delivered a shock wave over the once World Cup representative GM Mark Paragua-reinforced Camarines Soaring Eagles.
Team Malaysia edged out Camarines, 2.5-4.5, 10.5-10.5, and two-one with FM Yinn Long Wong and National Master Timothy Capel Evan besting the blitz-feared duo of Paragua and Ellan Asuela as Camsur’s Virgen Gil Ruaya prevailed over IM Zhi Yang Ooi in another Armageddon playoff.
“That was really shocking because until now, I think no one here in the Philippines can withstand the formerly super-GM Paragua in a three-two blitz challenge,” said Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo, whose Surigao Fianchetto was unseated by Paragua and company for the last semis berth in the south.
A review on the top board matches between Penang and Camarines has been promptly undertaken, as of press time, with the decision out to be known tonight at 6 pm.
Barring any changes, San Juan will face Caloocan for the North division title and Penang, Malaysia clashing with Iloilo for the South division crown on Wednesday starting at 7:30 pm via Chess.com online format.
