Woodpushers from Iloilo and Negros will banner the Southern Division in the much-anticipated 1st Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Star Game on May 2.
The South All-star Selection will be led by seven players from Negros Kingsmen and two from Iloilo Kisela Knights.
Negros’ Nelson Mariano III and Randy Segarra and Iloilo’s Joey Antonio were voted in the top-rated division. Iloilo’s Cherry Anne Mejia and Negros’ Rowelyn Joy Acedo, on the other hand, were selected in the Lady category.
Bacolod’s Joel Pimentel and Dumaguete’s Jason Bandal were chosen in South All-Star’s homegrown category. They will be mentored by Jojo Buenaventura.
Other members of the South All-Star were Mark Paragua, Ellan Asuela, Carlo Lorena, Ronald Llavanes, Virgen Gil Ruaya, Chito Garma, Vince Alaan, Merben Roque, Erwin Retanal, Catherine Secopito, Badette Galas, Rico Mascarinas, and Mario Mangubat.
The Southerners will be challenged by star players from the North Division. Ilonggo woodpusher Eugene Torre, who was recently inducted to the Chess Hall of Fame, will lead the North All-Star squad. It will be handled by their manager, Fred Perez.
The North will be bannered by Darwin Laylo, Roland Salvador, Sherily Cua, Rudy Ibanez, Cromwell Sabado, Ferdinand Palermo, Banjo Barcenilla, AJ Literatus, Ino Sadorra, Oliver Barbosa,Paulo Bersamina, Rolando Nolte, Jem Garcia Jodi Fronda, Michaela Concio, Karen Enriquez, Ricky De Guzman, Cris Ramayrat, John Paul Gomez, Deniel Causo, Genghis Imperial, and Mari Turqueza.
The first-ever PCAP All-Star Game will be over 14 boards (six top-rated, two ladies, two seniors, and four homegrowns) in blitz and rapid sets. Armageddon over five boards will be played if teams are level after one set each.
Meanwhile, the PCAP reinforced conference scheduled to begin on May 15 will be named GM Wesley So Cup.
All the 24 teams which took part in the inaugural All-Filipino Conference won by the Laguna Heroes will be back to vie for trophies and bigger prizes.
The champion team will receive P150,000 while the runner-up will get P75,000. The third placer will have P40,000, while the fourth placer will take home P20,000. Top individual performers – Best Import, Player of the Conference, and Finals Most Valuable Player – will get P10,000 each.
All these prizes will be shouldered by So,l from Bacoor, Cavite, who is now an American and one of the world’s elite chess players.
So is the former top Filipino player is the reigning United States and Fischer Random world champion and is the current overall leader after 4 legs of the $1.5 million (P72 million) Champions Chess Tour. According to PCAP chairman Michael Angelo Chua and president-commissioner Paul Elauria, So agreed to shoulder the cash prizes as his way of showing his “love and support to Filipino chess players.”IMT
