Manila gets back at Caloocan; San Juan repeats over Laguna in Wesley So Cup

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Indios Bravos leaned on the results of their senior and homegrown boards to repel the Caloocan LoadManna Knights, 12-9, last Wednesday evening in the Wesley So Cup.

With both players on Boards 1 and 2 cancelling each other out with draws and Caloocan’s Arvie Lozano edging out Manila’s lady player in Mira Mirano, it fell upon senior play Cris Ramayrat Jr. and homegrown players Jerome Balicao and Ronald Dableo to gain crucial points. Although Caloocan’s Paul Sanchez salvaged a point in blitz play, Manila went ahead 4-3. 

Come rapid play, the top two boards once more cancelled each other out with draws. This time, Mirano upended Lozano for two big points. That was huge as it added to the wins by Ramayrat and Dableo to pull out an 8-6 win in rapid chess for an overall, 12-9 victory.

Caloocan’s Paul Sanchez on Board 7 was the lone player to win all three of his available points.

Manila had to go through another ringer in the second match, an 11-10 win over Rizal.

Caloocan blasted Isabela, 16-5, in the nightcap to earn a split. It wasn’t enough as Manila displaced them at second spot in the Northern division standings with a 23-4 record while the LoadManna Knights at 22-5.

In the evening’s other crucial match, San Juan repeated over the Laguna Heroes, 11-10. 

In blitz chess, San Juan was able to hold Laguna’s three Grandmasters — Kirril Shevchenko, Banjo Barcenilla and John Paul Gomez to draws. The Predators got huge points from the middle of their order as WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, GM Viktor Moskalenko on the senior board, and GM Oliver Barbosa on the homegrown boards got wins over WNM Karen Enriquez, FM Efren Bagamasbad and Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo respectively for a 5-2 win.

Laguna stormed back in rapid chess with their three GMs delivering wins. Enriquez bounced back with a win over Fronda but Moksalenko and Barbosa grabbed their two full points each while Narquingel Reyes on Board 7 earned a huge draw. 

Laguna took rapid play, 8-6, but it wasn’t enough to overhaul their deficit as San Juan repeated, 11-10.

Coupled with their 18-3 blasting of Olongapo in the first game of the double header, the Predators hiked their win total to a league-best 25-2 and 404 points.

Thus far, they are the first team to breach 400 points in this conference.

During their All-Filipino Cup run, San Juan finished with a 30-4 record that was good for 503.5 points. 

With seven matches left, they can better their All-Filipino Cup win-loss record and make a run at the 509 points that conference champion, Laguna accrued.