Toledo Xignex Trojans
CEBU CITY, Philippines – True to their championship ambitions, the Toledo Xignex Trojans showcased their winning prowess by surging to the top of the standings in the Southern Division of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup on Wednesday evening, September 25.
They secured dominant victories over two formidable contenders, cementing their claim for the top spot by dismantling both the Davao Chess Eagles and the Iloilo Kisela Knights in impressive fashion.
With an unblemished 5-0 record and a commanding 78.5 points, they now hold the solo lead in the division.
In their match against the Davao Chess Eagles, Toledo asserted their dominance with a 17-4 victory. The blitz round ended in a 3-3 draw, with International Master (IM) Joel Pimentel setting the tone by defeating National Master (NM) Jonathan Tan on board one in both the blitz and rapid rounds.
IM Angelo Young and Diego Abraham Caparino added to Toledo’s momentum, securing victories against Alexander Lupian and Ariel Nino Aton, respectively.
The Trojans swept the rapid round with a flawless 14-0 score, sealing their commanding 17-4 triumph.
Toledo’s winning streak continued against the Iloilo Kisela Knights, with IM Pimentel once again leading the charge by defeating Lloyd Lanciola on board one in both the blitz and rapid rounds.
The Trojans narrowly edged Iloilo 4-3 in the blitz round but overwhelmed their opponents in the rapid round, cruising to a 10-4 victory and a 14-7 overall result.
Allan Pason also delivered a strong performance, winning both his matches against Horizon Villanueva.
Iloilo and the Camarines Soaring Eagles are tied with a 3-2 win-loss record in the Southern Division standings, but they were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 based on their total accumulated points.