AND now there are only four teams left — top seed Laguna Heroes and Pasig Pirates in the North and Negros Kingsmen and Davao Eagles in the South in the 2023 PCAP All-Filipino Conference.

Laguna slammed the door on No. 4 seed Mandaluyong Tigers, 11.5-9.5 and 10.5-10.5 (3-0 in Armageddon), while No. 3 Pasig shocked No. 2 San Juan Predators, 11-10, 7.5-13.5 (2-1 in Armageddon) to arrange a titular showdown in the Northern Division.

Elsewhere, Negros sent former champion and No. 4 Iloilo Kisela Knights packing, 14-7, 12-9, to set up a highly-anticipated championship duel with No. 2 Davao, 14-7, 13-8 winner over over upset-conscious and No. 6 Camarines-Iriga Eagles in the Southern Division.

Southeast Asian Games-bound IM Angelo Young and Vince Medina provided the heroics for the Dr. Fred Paez-managed Laguna, which is seeking its second All-Filipino title in three years.

Young clobbered Roland Yutuc, 3-0, in the senior board, while Medina toppled NM Giovanni Mejia, 3-0, on board seven for Laguna’s triumph.

IM Daniel Quizon also came through with a decisive 2-1 victory over GM Darwin Laylo on board two.

The 3-0 victories by Young and Medina and the 2-1 squeaker by Quizon made up for GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr.’s upset setback to FM Deniel Causo and WNM Jerlyn Mae San Diego’s 0-3 loss to WNM Cherry Ann Mejia.

Laguna and Mandaluyong battled to 10.5-10.5 draw in the second match.

However, Quizon defeated Causo, Barcenilla subdued Laylo and IM Michael Concoio downed Paul Sanchez to complete a 3-0 sweep for the Heroes in their three-game playoffs.

Equally exciting was the Pasig-San Juan semifinal encounter.

The Pirates drew first blood with 11-10 victory with IM Chris Ramayrat taking all three points from IM Ricardo de Guzman in their senior board duel.

The Predators, however, struck back with 13.5-7.5 win in the second match behind victories by IM Paulo Bersamina over Kevin Arquero, WIM Catherine Perena over WIM Sherily Cua and Narquingel Reyer over FM Nelson Mariano III, all by 2-0 scores.

IIn Armageddon, Arquero humbled Karl Victor Ochoa and Labog upset IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia for Pasig’s two victories.

Bersamina averted a shutout for San Juan with an upset victory over GM Mark Paragua.

PCAP, the country’s first and only professional chess league, is organized by Atty. Paul Elauria as president and Michael Angelo Chua as chairman, and sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Land and PCWorx.

The prestigious 20-team, two-division tournament is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Atty. Richard Clarin, and supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), led by Chairman/ President Prospero “Butch” Pichay.

Division finals

North — Laguna Heroes vs. Pasig Pirates.
South — Negros Kingsmen vs. Davao Eagles

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ed Andaya