THE San Juan Predators lock horns with the Iloilo Kisela Knights for the first time since the finals of the Wesley So Cup as the second round of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP)-SMC-Ayala Land Premier Cup gets going on Wednesday.
Iloilo defeated San Juan to rule the second conference of the PCAP’s maiden season.
The Kisela Knights finished the first round of the third conference with a 10-0 record and although the slates were wiped clean for the second round that includes eight guest international and local squads, all matches are expected to be contested closely.
While Iloilo fielded the same lineup throughout the season—minus their import—San Juan added International Master Rolando Nolte to its roster.
Nolte will play Board 2 with Grand Master Oliver Barbosa switching to Board 1 from the homegrown boards.
Iloilo finished third in the All-Filipino Cup then took the Wesley So Cup. San Juan, on the other hand, finished fourth in the All-Filipino and second in the Wesley So Cup.
Each time, the Knights had their number when it counted the most.
In other key matches in the first matches of Wednesday evening’s online double header, Laguna battles Negros, Pengcheng (China) tackles Penang (Malaysia), Bangkok collides with Singapore, Davao faces Philippine National Paralympic Team, Pampanga takes on the Sunrays Junior squad, San Juan battles Negros and Camarines meets Caloocan.
The matches can be viewed on PCAP and the teams’ Facebook pages.