Paralympics team goes to PCAP South top as Caloocan thwarts Singapore

MANILA, Philippines – One of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the second round of the PCAP-SMC-Ayala Land Premier Cup saw the Caloocan LoadManna Knights best SinQGApore, 11-8, in the first match of the October 13 double-header.

Caloocan took blitz play 5-2, as the Knights blanked everyone save for SinQGApore’s IM Jimmy Liew — Caloocan’s former import — and GM Kevin Goh. 

Rapid play was hotly contested as each side took wins against the other. Technical problems in the match between Caloocan’s IM Barlo Nadera and GM Goh saw that particular match scuttled. 

The crucial match was between Caloocan’s IM Domingo Ramos and Liew, in which the former won the two full points. Had Liew won the match, then the remaining battle between Ramos and Goh would have been played. 

As it is, Ramos’ win saw rapid play end in a 6-6 draw with Caloocan taking the cumulative 11-8 win.

The Knights occupy the fifth spot of the Northern division with a 4-1 record behind San Juan, Pasig, Laguna and Manila, who are ranked from first to fourth, respectively, and remain undefeated at this stage. 

Caloocan’s win coupled with the two victories by the Philippine Paralympic Team — 13.5-7.5 over Rizal and 20.5-0.5 over Peng Cheng — gave the latter the pole position in the south, 5-0. The setback by the Singaporean team saw them drop to fourth while the Iloilo Kisela Knights inched closer to the top after they registered two wins, 20-1 over Peng Cheng, and 18-3 over Davao.

Of the seven guest squads, the only ones above eighth place, the median for the playoff cut, are the Philippine Paralympics Team, SinQGApore and Penang (Malaysia), which carries a 4-1 slate. 

The Davao Chess Executives, Bangkok Double Bishop, and the Sunrays (the juniors teams) all have 1-4 records with China’s Pengcheng winless at 0-5.