Chess: Toledo Xignex Trojans stays unbeaten in PCAP Wesley So Cup
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Toledo Xignex Trojans is the sole team that remained undefeated in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup after securing two more impressive victories on Wednesday night, October 16.
With an unblemished 17-0 record, the Trojans currently boast the best overall performance in the tournament, cementing their reputation as the team to beat.
Their latest triumphs came in a narrow but hard-fought 11.5-9.5 win over the Bacolod Blitzers and a commanding 15-6 rout of the Camarines Soaring Eagles, one of the southern division’s top contenders.
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The Trojans’ success was once again powered by the remarkable play of International Master (IM) Aaryan Varshney, whose back-to-back victories over Danmaersk Mangao and Thesius Benites on Board 1 propelled the team in both the blitz and rapid rounds against Bacolod.
They dominated the blitz, 5.5-1.5, though Bacolod rallied in the rapid round with an 8-6 win—ultimately falling short of breaking Toledo’s perfect streak.
Other key contributors to the Trojans’ close win over the Blitzers included Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio Antonio Jr., National Master (NM) Elwin Retanal, and Women’s FIDE Master (WFM) Cherry Ann Mejia, who all secured pivotal blitz round victories.
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Mejia and Cebuano International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap also notched crucial wins in the rapid round, helping stave off the Blitzers’ comeback attempt.
In their match against the Camarines Soaring Eagles, the Trojans displayed their dominance by winning both the blitz and rapid rounds decisively.
IM Varshney once again led the charge, securing a victory over Grandmaster (GM) Darwin Laylo in the blitz round. Although their rapid match ended in a draw, Toledo’s collective firepower ensured a sweeping 6-1 blitz win and a solid 9-5 result in the rapid round.
The Trojans’ closest competitors in the southern division—Camarines and the Iloilo Kisela Knights—trail significantly with identical 11-6 records, though standings are adjusted based on total accumulated points.
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