To develop local talents for competitive tournaments, Iloilo Kisela Knights will be playing as an All-Ilonggo team in the upcoming season of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP).

The new lineup will exclude IKK stars GM Joey Antonio, WFM Cherry Ann and Gio Meija and Karl Viktor Ochoa.

With the homegrown players, Coach Hubert Canto and team owner Leo Sotaridona will now be playing as well, alongside Gil Libatique, Cherry Mea Bendicio, and Jovelyn Sepanton..

For Sotaridona, the IKK management decided to go all-Ilonggo team. So Joey, Karl, and the two Mejias are no longer be playing with them.

“The decision has nothing to do with performance but more on strategic way to best accelerate the development of local talents while keeping the team competitive,” he added.

While IKK is reinventing itself, the team is confident to be still as competitive and relevant winning-wise.

To recall, Sotaridona also invested in books and other materials for his team and hometown of Iloilo.

“The all-Ilonggo approach allows all our players as co-owner of the team thereby increasing our chance to grow as much depending on how much each is willing to sacrifice and contribute to make that growth happens,” he shared.

Negros Kingsmen, on the other hand, acquired GM Antonio, who is expected to battle against his former teammates in the Southern Division.

For Canto, he believes the team has a chance despite the absence of their non-Ilonggo chessers. “We will always give it our best and malalakas naman ang mga homegrown players namin.”

Seeing actions for five grand finals, including a PCAP title, Sotaridona said IKK will show a competitive match during the season.

“While the Iloilo Kisela Knights are reinventing itself, we are confident that we can be competitive and relevant winning-wise,” he disclosed.

The third season of PCAP will begin on February 18. This will include the All-Filipino Cup and the import-spiced Wesley So Cup. The first ever inter-collegiate and inter-commercial pocket tournaments will be staged also in between of the major tournaments.IMT Sports