THERE’S no stopping the San Juan Predators — for now.

San Juan rode on GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr., Karl Victor Ochoa, Jan Jodilyn Fronda and IM Ricardo de Guzman to roll back Zamboanga Sultans, 20-1, and TFCC LP Bamboo Knights, 20.5-.5, to keep the solo lead in the Northern Division with a perfect 15-0 win-loss record in the 2025 PCAP All-Filipino Conference chess team championships recently.

Barcenilla outwitted Raymond Salcedo of Zamboanga, 2.5-.5, and Abbygail Bobos of TFCC LP, 3-0; Ochoa whipped Jordan Gadayan, 3-0, and Manuel Carlo Ballila, 3-0; Fronda clobbered Sarah Mae Chua, 3-0; and Sophia Ysabel Orosa, 3-0; and De Guzman dumped Francisco de los Santos, 4-0; and Kylle Vincent Gamba, 3-0, to lead the Predators of PCAP Chairman Michael Angelo Chua and coach Hubert Estrealla to victory.

Overall, the top-seeded Predators have 251 points in the 16-team, two-division tournament sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Land and PCWorx.

Manila Load Manna Knights, led by IM Paulo Bersamina, Austin Jacob Literatus and Shania Mae Mendoza, bested Southern Conference heavyweights Toledo Trojans, 14-7, and Camarines Eagles, 19.5-1.5, to keep solo second place with 14-1 slate.

Pasig Pirates, bannered by Daniel Quizon and Sherwin Tiu, whitewashed TFCC LP Bamboo Knights, 21-0, but lost to the Toledo Trojans, 9-12, to remain in third place with a 12-3 record.

Over in the Southern Conference, Toledo Trojans split their matches, but still kept the solo lead with 13-2 record.

Toledo lost to Manila, 7-14, but won over Pasig, 12-9, in all-important matches.

GM Mark Paragua bowed to Bersamina at the top board, Ellan Asuela lost to Literatus on board two and Cherry Ann Mejia succumbed to Mendoza on the female board as Toledo yielded the match to Manila.

The Trojans, however, struck back against the Pirates as Asuela defeated Sherwin Tiu (2.5-,5); Joel Pimentel crushed Narciso Gumila (3-0); and Diego Abraham Caparino outclassed Jerome Villanueva (2-0).

Toledo, runner-up to Manila last year, has 236 points against 178.5 poins of its closest pursuer, Bacolod.

PCAP, the country’s first and only professional hess league, is headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria and Chairman Michael Angelo Chua.

Games are being held every Wednesday and Saturday.

Standings

North– San Juan 15-0; Manila 14-1; Pasig 12-3; Cavite 11-4; Cagayan 8-7; Quezon City 5-10, Rizal 5-10; Isabela 4-11.
South — Toledo 13-2; Bacolod 10-5;
Camarines 7-8; Iriga 6-9, Iloilo 6-9; Mindoro 2-13, Zamboanga 2-13; TFCC LP 0-15.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ed Andaya