Paragua, Barcenilla lalahok sa PCAP Draft

Paragua, Barcenilla lalahok sa PCAP Draft

Paragua, Barcenilla lalahok sa PCAP Draft

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by Marlon Bernardino
Nagbigay ng intensiyon sina Grandmasters Mark Paragua at Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr. na lumahok sa inaugural draft ng Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP).


Ang dalawang pambato ng bansa ay naka base sa Estados Unidos. “It is an honor for me to be one of the pioneers of the first professional chess league in our country,” sabi ng New York-based Paragua. Si Barcenilla na naka base sa Arizona ay sinang ayunan si Paragua. “If I need to fly back home to play in PCAP, I most definitely will. I’m not going to miss a historic moment in Philippine chess.”


Sa league's first season  ay ipapatupad ang online game dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic at hindi na kinakailangan pang pumunta sa Pilipinas sina Paragua at Barcenilla. Ilan sa mga prominente na Filipino chess players na nasa ibang bansa ay sina GMs Oliver Barbosa (New York), Julio Sadorra (Texas), Richard Bitoon (Texas), Enrico Sevillano (California), Roland Salvador (Italy), Joseph Sanchez (France), Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor (Singapore) at Nelson “Jet” Mariano II (Singapore).

Lahat sila ay puede makalahok sa PCAP Draft basta makakuha lang ng lisensiya na makakapaglaro sa Games and Amusements Board (GAB).
Ang PCAP na liga ay approximately 32 LGU-based, subalit privately-owned chess teams na may minimum  eight at maximum  10 players under contract.
Bawat team ay puede mag field ng six regular players na binubuo ng two rated players, one female, one senior at two untitled homegrown players. Ang untitled homegrown players ay direct hires ng teams.


Ayon kay founding commissioner, Atty. Paul Elauria, ang players ay makakakuha ng standard contract na may minimum at maximum salaries base sa salary cap na napagkasunduan ng participating teams.


Ang participating teams ay hinati sa two conferences: Northern Conference para sa Luzon-based teams at Southern Conference para sa Visayas- at Mindanao-based teams.


Ang ibang team participation ay ang Baguio Lion Kings, Bataan Marching Heroes, Bulacan Bloody Bishops, Cagayan Valley Kings, Makati Red Gambits, Manila Noble Knights, Mindoro Golden Tamaraws, Palawan Beach Masters, Pampanga, Pasay, San Juan Preda-Torres, Subic Knightmares, General Trias City, Cavite and Tarlac Top Guns. Also interested to join are ARMM, Batangas, Bohol, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, General Santos, Ilocos, Iloilo, Laguna, Leyte, Misamis, Negros, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Surigao at Zamboanga.-Marlon Bernardino-