PCAP: Toledo seals elims as top seed, to face Iloilo in playoffs

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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Toledo Xignex Trojans, Cebu’s lone professional chess squad competing in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference, sealed the top seed for the playoffs slated this Wednesday, May 7.

The Trojans finished the elimination round in flying colors. They defeated the Mindoro Tamaraws, 15-6, and the Zamboanga Sultans, 17-4, before heading into the playoffs.

With the twin victories, Toledo clinched the top seed of the southern division playoffs where they will face the fourth seeded Iloilo Kisela Knights in the first round.

In their match against Mindoro, Toledo’s FIDE Master (FM) Carlos Edgardo Garma defeated Ryan Agbunag in the rapid round after replacing team captain Bonn Rainauld Tibod who lost to the former in the blitz round.

Toledo’s ever-consistent Board 3 player, Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Cherry Ann Mejia blanked Grace Robledo after winning both the blitz and rapid matches. International Master (IM) Barlo Nadera also bagged twin victories against Joel Diaz in Board 7. Toledo scored 5-2 in the blitz and 10-4 in the rapid round.

In their win over Zamboanga, Toledo almost swept the blitz round, winning six of the seven matches headed by IM Joel Banawa, FM Garma, WFM Mejia, and IM Rico Mascarinas who beats Raymod Salcedo, Jordan Gadayan, Sarah Mae Chua, and Francisco Delos Santos, respectively. They also defeated the same opponents in the rapid round, scoring, 11-3.

The other southern division playoff pairing features the No. 2 Bacolod Blitzers and No. 3 Camarines Soaring Eagles.

In the northern division, the top-seeded San Juan Predators take on the Cavite Spartans, while the Manila Load Manna Knights face the Pasig City King Pirates.