PCAP 3rd conference to kick off Sept. 15

MANILA, Philippines – The season-ending Professional Chess Association of the Philippines-San Miguel Corporation-Ayala Land Premier Cup begins on September 15.

The third conference, or the open conference, will find the 21 PCAP teams battling it out for the right to advance to the next round. It will include guest local squads the Philippine Paralympic team, Pampanga Checkers and Davao Eagles, as well as foreign teams from Malaysia, Singapore, China and Thailand.

“The upcoming conference will test the mettle of the mainstay teams with unknown variants — the local and international guest teams,” said PCAP chairman Michael Chua. “It will definitely create twists and turns for an exhilarating run that can only help Philippine chess.”

The first conference, the All-Filipino Cup, was won by the Laguna Heroes of the North Division. The second conference, the Reinforced or the import-flavored Wesley So Cup, saw the Iloilo Kisela Knights of the South Division take the title. 

The final tournament of the maiden season of PCAP finds the teams of the North Division — the Caloocan LoadManna Knights, Cagayan Kings, Cavite Spartans, Isabela Knight Raiders, Laguna Heroes, Manila Indios Bravos, Pasig King Pirates, Rizal Batch Towers and San Juan Predators — clashing with  Southern Division squads — Camarines Soaring Eagles, Cebu Machers, Cordova Dutchess Dagami Warriors, Iloilo Kisela Knights, Iriga Oragons, Lapu Lapu Naki Warriors, Mindoro Tamaraws, Negros Kingsmen, Palawan-Albay Queen’s Gambit, Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates and Toledo Trojans.