The Toledo City Trojans take time for a photo opportunity during one of their meetings in the previous season of PCAP. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Toledo City Trojans are ready to plunge into virtual chess action as the brand new conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), the Super Grand Master (SGM) Wesley So Cup starts tomorrow, Saturday, May 21, 2022.
The Trojans, one of Cebu’s two remaining competing teams in PCAP, will campaign again in the prestigious online chess tournament after reaching the semifinals of the previous conference last season.
The Trojans managed to reach the southern division semifinals, but faltered in the hands of the Davao Chess Eagles.
Nonetheless, the Trojans was the highest-ranked team from Cebu with International Master (IM) Rico Mascariñas ranked on the top 10 individual players of the tournament.
For Lawyer Jeah Jean Gacang, the team’s co-owner, they were very excited to get back into action.
“The Team is very excited to have another official backbone, our new co-owner John Signe. He has been so supportive with us since the beginning. Toledo City Trojans is now in partner with Xignex Digital Solutions, Inc.,” said Gacang.
IM Mascariñas returns to play for the Trojans along with National Master (NM) Merben Roque, NM Rogelio Enriquez Jr., Bonn Rainauld Tibod, Glen Pardillo, Jinky Catulay, Rommel Ganzon, Ronald Ganzon, and newcomer Rafael Engas.
In addition, the team will also be reinforced by Chinese Grand Master (GM) Xu Yi as the Wesley So Cup allows the competing teams of PCAP to hire foreign world-rated and titled woodpushers for the conference.
The 24-year-old Chinese GM is a much-needed reinforcement to the team. In last year’s Wesley So Cup, the Trojans tapped Iranian Grandmaster Amir Bagheri and they managed to reach the playoffs before getting eliminated by the Iloilo Kisela Knights.
In tomorrow’s opening matches, Toledo will face Camarines Soaring Eagles in the first match and the Davao Chess Eagles in the second match.
Before the action, an awarding ceremony will take place to recognize the previous conference’s champion, the San Juan Predators along with runners-up Iloilo Kisela Knights, and second runner-up Pasig City King Pirates.
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