Surigao stuns Cordova in PCAP

MANILA, Philippines – Maybe. Just maybe, this third conference of the PCAP-SMC-Ayala Land Premier Cup is where the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates turn things around.

Maybe they could be this conference’s Cordova Dutchess Dagami Warriors or the Toledo Trojans, or Antipolo Cobras, who were the surprise teams of the second conference — the Wesley So Cup.

And on opening night of the third conference, the Fianchetto Checkmates took down Cordova, 12-9, in a close encounter.

The Dutchess Dagami Warriors took blitz play, 4-3, behind Marian Calimbo and their homegrown troika of Neil Adrian Gilig, Romeo Resuera and AJ Abellana.

However, Surigao kicked on the afterburners in rapid chess by garnering the full two points on the top three boards with NM Jonathan Tan, Lennon Salgados and Aubrey Gallardo besting their Cordova counterparts Mark Mangubat, Raymond Abellana and Calimbo.

Surigao also got huge points from homegrown talents FM Vince and Tyrone Alaan to turn the tables around for their first win.

In the meantime, one of the last conference’s surprise squads — Toledo, with its personnel problems now resolved — axed cross-city rivals Cebu, 12.5-8.5.

The Trojans took blitz play, 4.5-2.5, behind strong play from Rommel Ganzon, Richard Natividad, IM Rico Mascarinas and Glicerio Pardillo Jr.

The four continued their dominance in rapid chess for an 8-6 score that pegged the outcome at 12.5-8.5.

The Iloilo Kisela Knights, the second conference champions, also opened their third conference account with an 18-3 demolition of the Palawan-Albay Queen’s Gambit.
Iloilo swept blitz play, 7-0, and continued their murderous run in rapid play, 11-3, for the win behind the thunderous showing of GM Joey Antonio, Karl Viktor Ochoa, NM Cesar Mariano, NM John Michael Silvederio and Fritz Bryan Porras.