San Juan, Manila, Iriga win PCAP nail-biters

MANILA, Philippines – Hopefully, for the Iriga Oragons, this is the start of something good.

The Oragons chalked up their first win of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines-San Miguel Corporation-Ayala Land Premier Cup with an 11-10 squeaker over the Cebu Machers.

It was the first win for Iriga and it halted a five-match slide to start the conference. 

The Oragons got crucial wins in the blitz from Nelman Lagutin, Roger Pesimo and NM Glennen Artuz with other points coming from NM Julius Sinangite and Marvid Zuniega. The points were good enough to get them a 4-3 win as both Cebu and Iriga drew, 7-7, in rapid play.

The points from the top four boards from Sinangote, Lagutin, Pesimo, and Johnlyn Buenaventura offset the points from Cebu’s Jimmy Ty Jr., Dennis Navales, Rex Androe Cabuncal and Duane Borgonia.

Previously, Iriga finished the All-Filipino Cup with a 4-30 record. They bettered their showing in the Wesley So Cup with a 6-28 slate. They are hoping that this will start them off with a streak that will allow them to finish in the top eight of the Southern division to get them to the second round of the third conference where the guest teams will join the fray.

Iriga wasn’t the only squad to win by a whisker during PCAP Saturday.

Northern Division leaders San Juan had to sweat it out against the vastly improved Pasig King Pirates for an 11-10 team.  

Like the Iriga-Cebu match, San Juan seized a 4-3 win in blitz that was good enough to get the win after both the Predators and King Pirates drew in rapid play, 7-7.

The Manila Indios Bravos also won by a similar 11-10 score line over skidding Caloocan.

By Saturday evening’s end, San Juan remained atop and immaculate in the Northern Division with a 7-0 slate with Laguna hot on their heels at 6-1, and Pasig and Manila at 6-2 

Over in the Southern Division, Iloilo continued to crush the competition and have posted a 6-0 slate. Negros totes a similar 6-0 record but is ranked second due to points accrued from the matches, 100 for the former and 92.5 for the latter.

Lapu-Lapu is at 5-2 with Toledo at fourth with a 4-3 record.