
Grandmaster Banjo Barcenilla destroyed World Cup-bound International Master Paolo Bersamina in their rapid duel to power defending champion Laguna to a 13.5-7.5 thrashing of Caloocan in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Wesley So Cup Saturday, May 29.
Barcenilla, who has topped the last two Battle of the Grandmasters, overpowered Bersamina in 46 moves of a Two Knights game to lift the Heroes to their sixth win against three losses.
The Loadmanna Knights slipped to 6-3.
A many-time Olympiad veteran, Barcenilla also got help from GMs Kirill Shevchenko and John Paul Gomez.
Shevchenko, Laguna’s newly acquired reinforcement from Ukraine, bested IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, while Gomez smashed Rosauro Caunti.
After their blitz encounter ended in a 3.5-all deadlock, Barcenilla struck the hardest in dominating the rapid phase, 10-4, and claiming the win.
Earlier, Laguna routed Cavite, 17-4.
Other second-match results saw Antipolo edging Cavite, 14-7; Isabela beating Cagayan, 12.5-8.5; San Juan besting Manila, 12-9; Rizal thumping Olongapo, 15-6Camarines prevailing over Iloilo, 13-8; Cordova trouncing Iriga, 16-5; Cebu whipping Lapu-Lapu, 16.5-4.5; Zamboanga nipping Mindoro, 14.5-6.5; Toledo squeaking past Negors 11-10; Surigao winning over Palawan, 13-8; and Pasig outplaying Quezon in the Armageddon, 3-0.