| CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Toledo Xignex Trojans improved their record to 3-0 in the southern division standings following decisive victories in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) SGM Wesley So Cup over the weekend.
The Trojans, last season’s overall first runners-up, secured a commanding 12.5-3.5 win against the Camarines Soaring Eagles and a remarkable 20-1 victory over the Pasig Grassroots King Pirates.
It was a statement win for the Trojans after toppling down southern division’s top team in last season, the Soaring Eagles.
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Leading the charge was Indian Candidate Master (CM) Bhavesh Mahajan, who achieved victory in all of his matches across blitz and rapid formats.
He defeated International Master (IM) Ronald Dableo, while Women’s FIDE Master (WFM) Cherry Ann Mejia and IM Joel Pimentel also showcased their skills with wins against Virgenie Ruaya and Colyer Graspela, respectively.
In the match against Pasig, the Trojans demonstrated their dominance by sweeping the blitz round and winning six out of seven rapid matches.
According to Toledo Xignex Trojans team owner, Jeah Gacang, the team has been improving tremendously during the off season after identifying their weak spots and gaps.
“After finishing as 1st runner-up in the last two conferences and claiming the Southern Division title, we have identified key areas for improvement. With our recent enhancements, we are optimistic about our performance. Our primary objective remains to secure the PCAP title while inspiring the next generation of chess talent,” said Gacang.
The Trojans will continue their campaign against the Davao Chess Eagles and the Iloilo Kisela Knights on Wednesday, September 25.