Palawan Queen's Gambit nails 1st PCAP win

MANILA, Philippines – The Palawan Queen’s Gambit finally nailed that elusive first win in the All-Filipino Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines.

The Queen’s Gambit defeated the Iriga Oragons, 17-5-3.5, in their final match of the fourth play date of PCAP.

Palawan nearly swept the Oragons in the blitz event, with Woman International Masters Shania Mae Mendoza, Marie Antoinette San Diego and Mike Suede defeating National Master Glennen Artuz, Johnlyn Buenaventura and Emil Valeza, respectively. Homegrown players Marife dela Torre and Yanika Seratubias also completed their domination of the event against Iriga counterparts Epifanio Bueno Jr. and Coelleir Graspela. 

Woman International Master Cathy Secopito drew with Joven Polsotin.

In the rapid event, Artuz got the better of Mendoza in Board 1 to give Iriga some life. But Secopito, San Diego, Suede, Seratubias and Carmelita Abanes each won their boards to put away their foes. Dela Torre drew with Valeza in the event for the final score.

In Palawan’s first match of the day, the Queen’s Gambit came up short against the Cordova Dutchess, 10-11.

Cordova won the blitz event, 5-2, but Palawan came storming back in the rapid event, 8-6. But it wasn’t enough as San Diego, dela Torre, and WMN Cecilia Cuizon were each swept, 2-0, by WIM Bernadette Galas, Dione Patrick Minoza, and NM Mario Mangubat.

Despite the split in matches, Palawan felt they had found their stride. 

“We celebrate every win we make and learn from every loss we get,” said head coach Susan Neri, who couldn’t contain her enthusiasm for her charges’ achievement. “Hopefully, we gain momentum from this and win more as a team in succeeding matches.”