DEFENDING champions San Juan Predators open their title-retention campaign against Olongapo Rainbow and hosts Pasig Pirates as the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) holds its first-ever over-the-board matches in the Open Conference at the Estancia Mall in Pasig City.

With GM Oliver Barbosa deciding to take a leave and IM Rolando Nolte bringing his talent elsewhere, the Predators will parade a new 1-2 punch in IMs Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia in this season-ending third conference featuring 22 member-teams in the elimination phase and several guest foreign teams in the final rounds.

Bersamina, a mainstay of the Philippine team which saw action in the FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, and Garcia will take up the cudgels for the Hubert Estrella-mentored team, alongside IM Ricardo de Guzman, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda and WNM Arvie Lozano.

Bersamina, Garcia and Lozano previously played for Northern Division team Caloocan Load Manna Knights, who begged off from participation this conference.

The tournament formally opened Friday with the formal awarding ceremony of the PCAP-GM Wesley So Cup which the Pasig Pirates won over Southern Division heavyweight Iloilo Kisela Knights and the opening ceremony of the third conference.

The top individual performers, led by the Most Valuable Player, also received their trophies during the event, which kicked off the three-day “PCAP Chess Festival” in Pasig.

Among those present during the ceremony were Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Games and Amusements Board Officer-in-Charge Atty. Ermar Benitez, Asian Chess Federation Executive Director Toti Abundo, Ortigas Land Corporation President Junie Jalandoni and Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo.

PCAP President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria and Chairman Michael Angelo Chua welcomed the guests and participants.

The tournament proper begins Saturday with three rounds of over-the-board matches and continues Sunday with two more rounds.

The first round, which will start at 2 p.m. Saturday, will pit San Juan against Olongapo, Laguna Heroes against Mindoro Tamaraws, Manila Indios Bravos against Rizal Towers, Cagayan Kings against Quezon City Simba’s Tribe and Cavite Spartans against Isabela Knights of Alexander in the Northern Division; and Negros Kingsmen against Pagadian-PCL, Davao Eagles against Cebu Machers, Toledo City Trojans against Cagayan de Oro, Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates against Palawan Queen’s Gambits and Camarines Eagles against Tacloban Vikings in the Southern Division.

Pasig and Iloilo drew first-round byes.

In the second round set at 3:30 p.m., it will be Quezon City against Cavite, Rizal against Cagayan, Mindoro against Manila, Olongapo against Laguna and Pasig against San Juan in the North; and Palawan against Camarines, Cagayan de Oro against Surigao, Cebu against Toledo, Pagadian-PCL against Davao and Iloilo against Negros in the South.

Isabela and Tacloban drew a bye.

Third round action will see Laguna against Pasig, Manila against Olongapo, Cagayan against Mindoro, Cavite against Rizal and Isabela against Quezon City in the North; and Davao against Iloilo,Toledo against Pagadian-PCL, Surigao against Cebu, Camarines against Cagayan de Oro and Tacloban against Palawan.

Bye teams are Laguna and Negros.