THE Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, inspired by the championship win of their sister team Surigao Diamond Knights, were in a roll in the first elimination round of the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines’ Second Conference dubbed as Wesley So Cup.
After scoring a twin-kill over the best Mindanao team, the Davao Chess Eagles and the Zamboanga Sultans, the Checkmaters repeated the feat on Wednesday night against the Toledo City Trojans in thrilling fashion, 11-10, and the Camarines Iriga Soaring Eagles, 12.5-8.5.
A big leap that improved Surigao’s record to an 8-3 win-loss slate in a tie with the Davao Chess Eagles at third place behind the pacesetting Iloilo Kisela Knights and second-running Negros Kingsmen in the national online team tourney.
The proud Davawenyos, reinforced this conference by Grandmaster Darwin Laylo, also won their last two matches against the all-female Palawan Queen’s Gambit, 15.5-5.5, and the Cebu City Wizards, 13.5- to 7.5.
“Our title finish in the just-held Philippine Chess League Season 3 otherwise known as Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Cup was a big motivation to our recent 4-0 streak at PCAP,” said Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo, who both owned the Checkmaters and the Knights fully-supported by Congressman Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao City and managed by Engr Dodjie Morales.
“We always aspire for the best that we could have better results than from our playoff stint in the last PCAP All-Filipino Conference,” Urbiztondo told Gold Star Daily.
Against Toledo City Trojans, the Checkmaters rode on the crest of Lennon Hart Salgados’ upset win over Chinese Grandmaster Xu Yi as they took a 4-3 edge in blitz showdown, complemented by the triumphs of Mariel Romero and Antonio Chavez Jr and a couple of draws on boards 1 and 4 by GM Enrico Sevillano and National Master Cyril Ortega.
In the rapid play, Surigao held Toledo to a 7-7 standoff as Sevillano defeated fellow Cebuano Merben Roque as well as Romero against Jinky Catulay to compensate for the setbacks of Chavez and Rhenz Rheann Auza at the hands of Allan Pason and Bonn Rainauld Tibod, respectively.
This, as Salgados held GM Yi to a draw in board 2, and so Ortega and Fide Master Vince Alaan opposite International Master Rico Mascariñas and Rommel Ganzon in boards 4 and 5.
It was a 3.5-3.5 draw between Surigao and Camarines in blitz opener, before the Checkmaters unleashed their might in the rapid contest, crippling the Soaring Eagles' wings at 9-5 on victories of the reliable lady combatant Romero, Alaan, and Auza.
Sevillano and Salgados settled for a truce against NM Glennen Artuz and Walt Allen Talan on the top 2 boards, leaving Chavez as the only casualty in his board 7 tussles with Philippine Airforce coach, NM Ronald Llavanes.
