Grandmaster Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla Jr. destroyed Fide Master Mari Joseph Turqueza in their rapid duel to power the defending champion Laguna to a 12-9 thrashing of Negros in the 2nd season of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All Filipino Conference online chess tournament virtually held at Chess.com Platform on Wednesday.
The many-time national champion and Olympiad veteran waylaid Turqueza in 44 moves of King's Indian defense in board 1 to lift the Heroes to their twelve win against three loses in the Northern Division. The Kingsmen slipped to 9-5 in the Southern Division.
"We got two hard-earned victories tonight. I would like to commend GM Banjo and IM Angelo for leading the team to beat the strong Negros Kingsmen." said Arena Grandmaster Dr. Fred Paez, one of the four co-team owner of the Laguna Heroes that include Mr. David Nithyananthan of KALARO, Engr. Benjamin Dy of SDC Global Choice and Engr. Jonathan Mamaril of Oregon, USA.
"We were just lucky against the solid Palawan Queen's Gambit. In the rapid, we immediately lost 4 points. Vince Medina failed to connect his zoom and FM Efren gave his queen for free when he slipped his mouse against WNM Nadera. Our winning margin in blitz helped to win the match." he added.
Also delivering for the Laguna backed up by KALARO, Greatech Philippines, Inc., SDC Global Choice, Jolly Smile Dental Clinic and Rotary Club of Nuvali were Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus and International Master Angelo Young in board 2 and 4, respectively.
Literatus defeated defeated Fide Master David Elorta in 59 moves of Slav defense while Young toppled Alfredo Dumalag in 34 moves of Queen's Pawn Opening.
Michella Concio drew with Natori Biazza Diaz in 34 moves of King's Indian defense in board 3.
National Master Edsel Montoya, Ellan Asuela and Ted Ian Montoyo carried the good fight for Negros woodpushers.
Montoya trounced Vince Angelo Medina in 33 moves of Queen'sPawn Opening in board 5, Asuela nipped Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo in 50 moves of Caro-Kann defense in board 6 and Montoyo outclassed Richie Jocson in 42 moves of Ruy Lopez Opening in board 7.
Laguna beat Negros, 5-2, in blitz format but it was a tie in the Rapid category where both squads only scored 7.0 each
Laguna also beat Ventura Palawan-Albay Queen's Gambit, 13.5-7.5, in the following round.
On February 19, Laguna will collide Surigao and Tacloban.
Photo shows International Master Angelo Young ( photo from NCFP)