Pasig scuttles Camarines in huge Wesley So Cup upset

MANILA, Philippines – The Pasig City King Pirates scored one of the biggest upsets in this halfway point of the Wesley So Cup Wednesday evening, June 16.

The King Pirates got huge results from their Boards 2-6 in rapid play to steal the inter-division game, 12-9, from the Southern Division leaders Camarines Soaring Eagles, who only succumbed to their second loss in 21 matches.

With Camarines’ Grandmaster Mark Paragua taking all three points from his Pasig counterpart, Mongolian GM Munkhgal Gomosuren, in both blitz and rapid play, and National Master Ronal Llavanes holding Pasig’s GM Darwin Laylo to draws on both matches, it was up to Pasig’s lady player WIM Sherily Cua and senior player Rudy Ibanez to bring in the crucial points.

Their results kept Pasig in the fight despite Camarines winning the blitz, 4-3.  

As Cua and Ibanez held fast in rapid chess, Pasig’s Kevin Arquero got back at the Soaring Eagles’ Ellan Asuela on Board 2 while Philip Simon Din broke through against Virgen Gil Ruaya in the homegrown Board 6 to give Pasig a huge 9-5 edge in rapid play for a 12-9 win.

Pasig wrapped up their big Wednesday evening by beating Cebu, 16-5, to go to 11-6, good for sixth spot in the Northern Division.

Overall, it was a good night for Northern Division teams as the Manila Indios Bravos won both matches against Toledo, 12.5-8.5, and Zamboanga, 13-8 and Laguna duplicated San Juan’s feat of blanking a foe with a 21-0 shutout of Surigao, and a 14.5-6.5 win over luckless Toledo.

Caloocan whooped Lapu, 16-5, and Mindoro, 15-6.