DAVAO CITY---The dream of Mindanaoan team Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates to win the coveted 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) tournament crown lives on.
The Checkmates beat Iriga City Oragons, 11.5-9.5, virtually held at Chess.com Platform on Wednesday night, March 23, 2022, to advance to the playoff round of the first professional chess league in the Philippines.
The win allowed the Checkmates to get the fifth spot in the quarterfinals in the PCAP Southern Division.
Checkmates playing owner Arena Grand Master Rey Urbiztondo is very happy with their quarterfinals slot since their hard work had paid off this year.
"Our Top 5 spot in the South is an achievement against stronger teams. We calculated our last 3 games versus our rivals Camarines and Toledo then. We were able to hit the prediction that we will beat them. Because in the last round 3 rounds, both of them will have to meet Davao, while no longer for us. Thus, they all lost to Davao and we made perfect in the last 3 games," Urbiztondo said.
Urbiztondo congratulated all his players for playing well in their last game in the elimination round.
"The win in the last round of the eliminations to get the projected perfect last 3 rounds were attributed to the dominance of Mariel Romero in Board 3, the wins of Alfred Rapanot versus NM Kevin Mirano in Board 2; FM Vince Alaan’s win in rapid versus NM Onofre Espiritu and NM Cyril Ortega’s at Seniors category," Urbiztondo added.
Earlier, the Checkmates was given the Team Sportsmanship Award by the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) for its tournament last year.
The team got the award for being cool and fair in all its matches last year.
Urbiztondo told NewsFort that his team this year is composed of the core group of UAAP grand slam champions of FEU Tamaraws.
Aside from the Tamaraw players who mostly hail from Cagayan de Oro City, the team will also have former Lady Board one player of Adamson University alongside former Adamson University standouts FM Vince and Tyrone Alaan.
The FEU standout players are Lennon Hart Salgados, Alfred Rapanot and Antonio Chavez, John Marel Morazo of Tarlac City is also part of the team, Marnel Batulan-Romero, former Adamson’s top board, Aubrey De Guzman-Gallardo, former top board of UP Diliman team, Fr. Vic Arellano, former Liceo de Cagayan champion, Engr. Joselito Serna, of Surigao City,Fide Master Vince Alaan, 1986 Asian Under 16 Champion, Antonio Chavez, Tyrone Alaan, Cyrus Donasco, Tandag and Rogelio Canoy of Surigao City.
As the owner of the Checkmates, Urbiztondo is giving a form of livelihood to some chess players in Mindanao in the PCAP tournaments.
Aside from Urbiztondo, the team is managed by Engr. Dodjie Morales and sponsored by Congressman Robert Ace Barbers.
PCAP is the first professional chess league in the Philippines wherein the players are provided with salary and incentives from the team they are playing just like in other professional sports like the PBA.
Urbiztondo is also busy organizing chess tournaments to allow Mindanao players to participate and earn if they win. (Romeo Braceros Jr.)
