Toledo Trojans improve to 18-3 in PCAP Southern Division standings

Toledo Xignex Trojans logo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Toledo Xignex Trojans continued their dominant run in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference, scoring convincing victories over the Iriga Oragons and the Mindoro Tamaraws on Wednesday night, April 30, as the elimination round nears its conclusion.

With the twin wins, the Trojans clinched their 17th and 18th victories, cementing their position as the top team in the southern division. They now boast an impressive 18-3 (win-loss) record with 330.5 accumulated points since the tournament began last March.

Their closest rival, the Bacolod Blitzers—whom they defeated twice this season—holds a 13-8 card, tied with the Camarines Soaring Eagles for second place in the standings.

These victories further cement Toledo’s status as the heavy favorite to secure the top seed heading into the playoffs.

The Trojans opened the night with a commanding 15-6 victory over Mindoro. They nearly swept the blitz round with a 5-2 score across the seven boards, then followed it up with a 10-4 triumph in the rapid round.

Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Cherry Ann Mejia spearheaded the team’s performance by winning both her blitz and rapid matches against Grace Robledo on Board 3.

International Master (IM) Barlo Nadera also delivered a flawless performance, blanking Joel Diaz in both formats on Board 7.

Toledo capped off the evening with an even more lopsided 17-4 win over the Iriga Oragons. They once again took the blitz round, 5-2, and overwhelmed their opponents in the rapid round, 12-2.

FIDE Master (FM) Ellan Asuela, WFM Mejia, and IM Nadera were instrumental in the Trojans’ success, each scoring back-to-back wins in both the blitz and rapid rounds against Jovert Valenzuela, Isabel Palibino, and Glennen Artuz, respectively.

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