Laguna Heroes kept their winning run in the All Filipino Conference Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) after defeating Isabela Knight Raiders in the night’s main event 11-10, in the battle of the Northern Division’s Saturday, January 30, 2021 at the lichess.org platform.
Laguna got the better of Isabela in the Blitz category, edging them 5-2 but the Knight Raiders surged back and took over in the Rapid, 6-8.
Two-time Asian Junior Champion Grandmaster Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr. stood out for the Heroes by winning all of his matches against the Knight Raiders, while Woman National Master Karen Enriquez and Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo provided support.
The 49-year-old Arizona, US-based Barcenilla, downed Alvin Aguinaldo in both blitz and rapid in the top board to secure the Heroes’ seventh victory against two loses.
Enriquez, meanwhile routed Genlaiza Bagorio in blitz and Sheryll Andres Bordon in rapid on board three (female) while Lorenzo nipped Lordwin Espiritu in both blitz and rapid on board six (homegrown).
“It was a very close encounter, all the way through the last. It was anybody’s game. I want to thank my team for hanging in there,” said team owner-playing coach Arena Grandmaster Dr. Alfredo “Fred” Paez who watches the game live thru online plaform lichess.org.
Earlier, Heroes trounced Cagayan Kings, 17.5-3.5.
Barcenilla, defeated Jake Tasi Tumaliuan in both blitz and rapid in the top board.
Tumaliuan, a 31-year-old tricycle driver from Tuguegarao City, made headlines after upsetting International Master Chito Garma of Zamboanga Sultans (dry run) and Grandmaster Darwin Laylo of Pasig Kings Pirates and halving the point with US National Master Jose “Jojo” Aquino Jr. of Antipolo Cobras and International Master Angelo Young of Manila Indios Bravos.
Aisde from Barcenilla, Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus, Enriquez, Fide Master Jose Efren Bagamasbad, Lorenzo, and Candidate Master Arjie Bayangat anchored the Heroes’ win over Kings.
Vince Angelo Medina (player), Engineer Jonathan Mamaril (team owner/consultant) and Benjamin Dy (team owner/consultant) and David Nithyananthan (team owner/manager) are also part of the Heroes.
The team aims to keep its winning run on the sixth day of the competition on Wednesday night (February 3, 2021). It will face Manila Indios Bravos first and then the Quezon City Simba’s Tribe.
Based on the scoring system, a win in rapid chess is worth two points, a draw is one point and a loss is zero. Blitz chess result gives one point for a win, half point for a draw and zero for a loss.
The tournament is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra and supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.