North squads rule 1st PCAP inter-div play

MANILA, Philippines – If you are keeping a scorecard, in the first ever crossover between the Northern and Southern conferences of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines, the former won, 7-5, last February 6.

The crossover matches between conferences was inspired by the American Major League Baseball’s inter-league play where squads from the National and American Leagues mix it up at least three times a year.

This is done to spice up the regular season where teams normally play only those in their own division.

While the Northern Conference came away overall winners in these match-ups, their erstwhile undefeated Caloocan LoadManna Knights were brought down to Earth by the Iloilo Kisela Knights, who walked away with an 11.5-9.5 win.

Iloilo’s win means that every team in the PCAP has at least one loss after 12 rounds of play and that no team will go on to sweep the elimination round. 

As huge as the win by Iloilo was, their southern rivals, Camarines and Negros also chalked up victories.

The Soaring Eagles snared the Antipolo Cobras, 13.5-7.5, while the Kingsmen handily took down the Olongapo Rainbow, 16-5.

The most lopsided victory of the day and of the season so far went to the north’s Laguna Heroes who thoroughly dismantled the Cebu Machers, 20-1.

The other northern power, the San Juan Predators feasted on the Zamboanga Sultans, 15-6.

Rounding out the winners for the north were the Isabela Knight Raiders, who knocked off the Iriga Oragons, 12.5-8.5; the Cavite Spartans over the Lapu Lapu Naki Warriors, 14-7; the Manila Indios Bravos over the Mindoro Elgin Tamaraws, 12.5-8.5; the Pasig King Pirates, who successfully stormed the castle of the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, 14.5-6.5; and the Quezon City Simba’s Tribe, who slipped past the Palawan Queen’s Gambit, 12.5-8.5.

For the southern side, other winners were the Cordova Dagami Warriors over the Cagayan Kings, 12-9; and the Toledo Trojans over the Rizal Batch Towers, 12.5-8.5.