PCAP top seeds sweep foes to barge into semis

MANILA, Philippines — The quarterfinals of the Open Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) ended Wednesday evening with predictable if not devastating results.

All the top four seeds of the north and south divisions walloped their opponents by an average of 13.5 points in sweeping the two match series.

In the quarterfinals of the northern division, the Pasig King Pirates pulverized the Rizal Batch Towers by twin sets of scores, 21-1. 

The San Juan Predators fought a stubborn Cavite Spartans side, 12.5-8.5 before kicking in the afterburners, 17-4. 

The Laguna Heroes sent the Isabela Knights of Alexander packing, 18-3 and 15.5-5.5. 

The only close match was the first set of the Manila Indios Bravos, 11-10, over the Cagayan Kings after which they knocked the latter out, 15-6.

The southern division saw similar results with top seed Davao Chess Eagles ending the Tacloban Vikings Cinderella run 16.5-4.5 and 17-4. 

The Palawan Queen’s Gambit, making the playoffs for the first time without the benefit of a play-in, got bundled out in a hurry by the Toledo Trojans 14.5-6.5 and 13-8.

The Iloilo Kisela Knights saw off the resurgence of the Camarines-Iriga Soaring Eagles 16.5-4.5 and 12.5-8.5. 

And lastly, the Negros Kingsmen weren't troubled by the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates by the twin scores of 16-5.

Now in the semifinals this coming Saturday, it will be World War III as the superpowers of the league clash in another win-or-go home scenario.

Pasig battles Manila while its old sparring mates San Juan and Laguna figure in the other northern tussle.

The south offers another titanic tussle with Davao and Toledo locking horns and the two squads that have been trying to knock each other down since PCAP’s inception — Iloilo and Negros — go at each other.

It’s a battle of GMs, WIMs, IMs, FMs and NMs. Chess fans better not miss it.