THE Antipolo Cobras passed a test despite splitting their double header on Wednesday night in the virtual Professional Chess Association Wesley So Cup
The Cobras, one of the surprise leaders in the Northern Division, opened the evening with an 11.5-9.5 loss to the Manila Indios Bravos, but closed it out with a squeaker of an 11-10 triumph over the reeling Laguna Heroes.
Antipolo entered Wednesday with a 4-1 won-lost record, good for second. By night’s end, they were at 5-2 with the Indios Bravos leapfrogging past them with a 6-1 record.
The top boards were split as Antipolo’s Fide Master David Elorta won both his matches in blitz and rapid. Manila’s Indonesian import International Master (IM) Yoseph Taher ruled his Board 2 tussles.
The blitz chess ended up in a 3.5-all draw.
In the rapid contest, Manila took Boards 2 to 5 that swung the match their way and the Indios Bravos’ Cris Ramayrat Jr. and Jerome Balico on the homegrown boards also won, leaving it to their lady player, Mira Mirano, to get back at the Cobras’ Christy Bernales in their blitz face off.
With the pressuring increasing in the second match of the day’s double header, this time against the Laguna Heroes, Antipolo faltered in blitz and went down, 4-3.
The Cobras’ Indonesian import IM Ronny Gunawan got back up in his matches with Laguna’s FM Efren Bagamasbad while teammate Bernales took both results from the Heroes’ Jean Enriquez.
With US National Masfer Rodolfo Panopio beating Laguna’s Vince Media and FM David Elorta drawing with GM Banjo Barcenilla in both blitz and rapid, the tide turned Antipolo’s way.
Laguna fell to sixth spot with a 4-3 record.