Laguna crushed Pasig, 17-4, and Iloilo smashed Negros, 16.5-4.5, to keep their grip of a share of the lead their respective conferences of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference Wednesday night, March 10.
Grandmasters Banjo Barcenilla and John Paul Gomez powered the Laguna Heroes, who remained in a three-way logjam for first with the Caloocan Loadmanna Knights and the San Juan Predators on identical 25-4 win-loss records in the Northern Conference.
GM Joey Antonio, meanwhile, spearheaded the Iloilo Kisela Knights to also improve to 25-4 for a share of the top spot in the Southern Conference with the Camarines Soaring Eagles and the Negros Kingsmen.
Barcenilla turned back fellow Olympiad veteran GM Darwin Laylo highlighted by a win in the blitz, 1.5-0.5, while Gomez waylaid Cromwell Sabado, 1.5-0.5, to power Laguna to the win.
Also providing the wins for Laguna were Karen Enriquez, Efren Bagamasbad, Vince Angelo Medina and Kimuel Lorenzo.
International Master Eric Labog delivered the lone win for Pasig by ousting FIDE Master Austin Jacob Literatus on board two.
The round before, Laguna also dumped Olongapo, 17-4.