SHOWING much improvement from last conference, the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmaters head back to the South rivalry tonight, bearing in mind that they’re still winless against fellow Mindanao teams in the 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines All-Filipino Conference.
The Surigao chessers, with a 14-9 win-loss ledger, face the second-running South team Davao Eagles (18-5) at 7 pm before taking on the Camarines Soaring Eagles in the nightcap.
“It’s a big challenge for us kay sa first stage of the 12-team South rivalry pulos pildi ‘mi sa three other teams from Mindanao. The only difference now against Davao is ma-agbat namo sila balik nga makadula na among top scorer sa board one,” said Surigao team owner, Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo, referring to Air Force man Lennon Hart Salgados, whose call of duty in the military service won't make him full-time available to play in the country's first-ever professional chess league.
The Congressman Robert Barbers-backed Checkmaters came from 1-1 win-loss encounters opposite Quezon and Rizal teams, while the Davao Eagles enter tonight's double-header after ego-boosting conquest of Manila and Laguna that put them second behind the pacesetting Iloilo Kisela Knights (21-2).
Despite coming from a two-game roll against Cavite and Cagayan Province, the Dr. Ariel Potot-owned CMOCA Higalas are still mired at a joint 7th-to-8th place with Camarines at 11-12 as they tangle first with the streaking Zamboanga Sultans (16-7) before their 8:30 pm tussle with Toledo City Trojans.
The Zambo Sultans pounced on Cagayan and Caloocan to keep their winning ways in just their PCAP return after missing the last conference action in 2021.
“Tungason among misyon nga maka-survive sa elimination round but we’re quite optimistic to hurdle the challenge,” said Cagayan de Oro’s scoring machine Jaime Joshua Frias II.
The top-six teams in each division will automatically advance in the knockout quarterfinals to be joined later by the other two survivors in the “play in” selection for the remaining teams, but with disadvantageous twice-to-beat odds for the No.7 and No.8 qualifiers.
The Pasig Pirates of Grandmaster Mark Paragua holds the solo leadership in the Northern division with a remarkable 22-1 record, followed by San Juan (19-4) and Laguna (18-5).
