CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano chess fans are in for a treat as two of the best Cebu-based teams, the Toledo Trojans and the Lapu-Lapu Naki Warriors will clash tomorrow, June 2, in the resumption of the Wesley So Cup Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP).
The third-seeded Trojans will face the seventh seed Naki Warriors in their first scheduled match tomorrow for an all-Cebu showdown in the country’s grandest online wood pushing tournament.
The Trojans will bank on their import, Iranian Grand Master (GM) Amir Bagheri who is expected to play on board one versus the Naki Warriors’ import, International Master (IM) IM Thao Nguyen of Vietnam.
Aside from GM Bagheri, the Trojans will also have playing team owner, Atty. Jeah Jean Gacang, International Master (IM) Rico Mascariñas, National Master (NM) Rogelio Enriquez Jr., team captain Bonn Rainnauld Tibod, the Ganzon brothers Ronald and Rommel, Richard Natividad, Glicerio Pardillo, Jr., Christopher Tubalado, and Jinky Catulay.
The Naki Warriors will also bank on their core roster composed of Daniel Miñoza, Romeo Resuera, Odilon Badilles, Edsel Montoya, NM Anthony Makinano, Cristy Cabungcal, Neil Adrian Gilig, and team owner Aldwin Daculan.
The Trojans are fresh from winning their two matches last Sunday, May 30, 2021, by beating the Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates and the Negros Kingsmen to place at the third spot in the south division standings with a, 7-2, (win-loss) record and 108.5 points.
The Naki Warriors, meanwhile split their two games last Sunday after losing to the Cebu City Machers in the first match and winning over the Camarines Soaring Eagles in the next. They are seventh in the current team standings with a, 4-5, (win-loss) card with 81 accumulated points.
The Trojans will take on the first conference’s third overall placer Iloilo Kisela Knights in their second match while the Naki Warriors play against the Palawan Queen’s Gambit in the second round.
On the other hand, the unbeaten and south division’s top-seeded Cordova Dutchess Dagami Warriors (9-0) will have a tough assignment against the No. 2 seed Soaring Eagles in their first match. The Soaring Eagles have an, 8-1 record with 130 points in hand.
After taking on the Soaring Eagles, the Dutchess Dagami Warriors will push pawns versus the fifth-seeded Zamboanga Sultans (6-3).
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Machers (3-6) who are at the eighth spot will have their backs against the wall as they face the Kisela Knights and the Soaring Eagles in rounds one and two respectively. /rcg