THE North All Stars made history by winning the first-ever 2021 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Star Game.

But they needed an Armageddon to achieve the rare feat.

GM Darwin Laylo, GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr. and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia pulled off the much-needed victories as the North All Stars edged the South All Stars, 3-2, in their five exciting Armageddon matches.

Laylo was the man of the hour for North All Stars, delivering the knockout punch by beating NM Virgen Gil Ruaya by checkmate with 0.2 seconds left on his clock.

With the score tied at 2-2 after four playoff games, Laylo went for the kill against Ruaya, who needed only a draw, and came away with the deciding victory.

Barcenilla, the top player of PCAP All-Filipino champion Laguna Heroes, outduelled Ellan Asuela of Camarines, while Garcia a mainstay of Caloocan Load Manna Knights, shocked GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. of Iloilo Kisela Knights for North’s two victories.

South All Stars struck back on victories by GM Mark Paragua of Camarines and IM Joel Pimentel, of Negros Kingsmen, who won over IM Paulo Bersamina of Caloocan and FM Austin Jacob Literatus of Laguna.

That left the Laylo-Ruaya encounter the deciding match.

Garcia was unanimously voted as the All-Star Games MVP, winning all his matches — two blitzes, two rapids, and one Armageddon against Antonio.

Earlier, the North All Stars outplayed South All Stars, 25-17, in the first of the two-set encount.

The Northerners took control early with a surprisingly easy 12-2 victory in the blitz portion of the first set.

The Northerners dropped a close 13-15 decision to their Southern counterparts in rapid matches but still won the match, 27-12.

South, however, regrouped in time in the second set.

After a 7-7 standoff in blitz, South went for a16-12 triumph in rapid and 23-19 win overall.

Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA) president Dr. Fred Paez of Laguna and Engr. Jojo Buenaventura of Camarines served as the coaches of the North and South All Stars
The other members of the winning North All Star are GM Roland Salvador (Pasig), GM Eugene Torre (Rizal Towers), GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (Manila Indios Bravos), Oliver Barbosa (San Juan Predators), IM Rolando Nolte (Rizal, Shercila Cua (Pasig), Jan Jodilyn Fronda (San Juan), Michaela Concio (Quezon City Simba’s Tribe), Karen Jean Enriquez (Laguna), Rudy Ibanez (Pasig), Ricardo de Guzman (San Juan), Cris Ramayrat (Manila), Cromwell Sabado (Pasig), Ferdinand Palermo (Pasig), John Paul Gomez (Laguna), Genghis Imperial (Manila), Deniel Causo (Manila) and Mari Joseph Turqueza (Manila).

The other players who played for the South All Stars are Nelson Mariano III (Negros Kingsmen), Merben Roque (Cordova Dagami Warriors), Chito Garma (Zamboanga Sultans), Erwin Retanal (Cebu Machers), Randy Segarra (Negros), Catherine Perena-Secopito (Palawan Queen’s Gambits), Vince Alaan (Surigao), Cherry Ann Mejia (Iloilo), Bernadette Galas (Cordov), Rowelyn Joy Acedo (Negros), Carlo Lorena (Camarines), Mario Mangubat (Cordova), Rico Mascarinas (Toledo), Ronald Llavanes (Camarines), Joel Pimentel (Negros), Zulfikar Sali (Zamboanga), Jason Bandal (Negros), Ariel Potot (Cordova) and Mikee Charlene Suede (Palawan).

The other highlight of the All-Star extravaganza was the awards presentation to All-Fiipino Conference champion Laguna Heroes.