Professional Chess Association of the Philippines

Professional chess league in the Philippines

Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP)Current season, competition or edition:
2025 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines season

Sport| Chess
Founded| 2020
First season| 2021
CEO| Michael Angelo Chua
President| Paul Elauria
Commissioner| Paul Elauria
No. of teams| 16
Country| Philippines
Most recent
champion(s)| 2025 All Filipino:
Toledo Xignex Trojans
Most titles| Pasig City King Pirates
(4 titles)
Official website| [1]

The Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) is a professional chess league in the Philippines.

## History

[edit]

The Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) was formed by Filipino lawyer Paul Elauria who also became the league's first commissioner.[1] The league was launched in 2020, although plans relating to the establishment of the first professional chess league in the Philippines has already been made years ago.[2]

It was formed as a means of livelihood for Filipino chess players, since not all are part of the Philippine national team. It is reportedly the first professional chess league in Southeast Asia with its first season to be held in 2021 with games possibly to be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] The league was recognized by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), a government body which regulates professional sports in the Philippines, in September 2020.[4] PCAP held its first national try out online through on October 17, 2020.[5]

For the inaugural season slated to start early 2021, 24 teams will participate in the league. The first ever draft was held on December 20, 2020.[6][7]

In March 2021, PCAP secured a sponsorship of the San Miguel Corporation.[8]

The third season shifted to a two conference tournament. The Reinforced Conference was not held.[9]

## Teams

[edit]

There are 16 teams in the PCAP as of the 2025 season, divided into two geographic groups.

North

* Cagayan Kings
* Cavite Spartans (Dasmarinas)
* Isabela Knights of Alexander
* Manila Loadmanna Knights
* Pasig City King Pirates
* Quezon City Simba's Tribe
* Rizal Batch Towers
* San Juan Predators

|  |

South

* Arriba Iriga
* Bacolod Blitzers
* Camarines Soaring Eagles
* Iloilo Kisela Knights
* Mindoro Tamaraws
* Misamis Occidental Bamboo Knights
* Toledo Xignex Trojans
* Zamboanga Sultans

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|

### Former teams

[edit]

* Antipolo Cobras
* Cagayan De Oro
* Caloocan Loadmanna Knights
* Cebu City Machers
* Cordova Dutchess Dagami Warriors
* Davao Chess Eagles
* Laguna Heroes (Cabuyao)
* Lapu-Lapu City Naki Warriors
* Mandaluyong Tigers
* Olongapo Rainbow Team 7
* Pagadian PCL
* Palawan Queens' Gambit
* Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates
* Tacloban Vikings

Including teams on a leave of absence

### Guest teams

[edit]

Domestic teams

* CCE Sunrays (2021)
* Davao Executive Chess Society (2021)
* Pampanga Checkers (2021)
* Philippine paralympic chess team (2021)
* Pasig Grassroots Knights (2022, 2024)
* Philippine Executive Chess Association (2022)

|  |

Foreign teams

* Peng Cheng Dragons (2021)
* Penang Blue Panthers (2021)
* Team SinQGApore (2021)
* Double Bishop Bangkok (2021)

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|

## Format

[edit]

### Tournaments

[edit]

The PCAP will have three tournaments or conferences in each season namely the All-Filipino, Reinforced and Open Conferences.[10] Participating teams will be geographic-based, and will represent a particular local government unit although all teams will be privately owned. The participating teams will be divided into two geographic conferences or groups, North and South with teams initially playing other sides within their respective groups before playing against each other in inter-league matches in the elimination round.[11]

Conferences (Tournaments)

*   * All-Filipino
* Reinforced
* Open

### Players

[edit]

Teams can have eight to ten players under contract; six of them being regular players. Among the regular players two must be rated players, one must be female, one must be senior and two must be homegrown players. All participating players including participants of the PCAP draft must be licensed by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).[1] A salary cap is imposed to protect the financial viability of the league.[11] For the Reinforced conference, each team can field on foreign player who may fill a slot in all categories except the homegrown category. A rated player may not be recategorized as a homegrown player.[12]

### Matches

[edit]

Each match in the PCAP include seven boards:[11]

Player category  | Boards

|

Homegrown (born or registered in the same city/town the team represents) | 3
Rated | 2
Lady | 1
Senior (age 60+) | 1

In a conference, each team plays twice against other teams within their group, and once against teams outside their group.[13]

## Champions

[edit]

Results by season[14]

Season | Year | Champions

|
|

All-Filipino | Reinforced | Open (Wesley So Cup)
1 | 2021 | Laguna Heroes | Iloilo Kisela Knights | San Juan Predators
2 | 2022 | San Juan Predators | Pasig City King Pirates | Pasig City King Pirates
3 | 2023 | Pasig City King Pirates[9] | Not held | Pasig City King Pirates[15]
4 | 2024 | Manila Indios Bravos | Not held | Manila Indios Bravos
5 | 2025 | Toledo Xignex Trojans |  |

## See also

[edit]

* Filipino Chess Championship

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Bernardino, Marlon (September 16, 2020). "GAB chairman Mitra to lead pro chess league launch". BusinessWorld. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
2. ^ Atencio, Peter (September 17, 2020). "Elauria announces launch of pro chess tourney". Manila Standard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
3. ^ Yumol, David Tristan (September 18, 2020). "First pro chess league in PH gets GAB approval". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
4. ^ "GAB approves first ever pro chess league in the Philippines". GMA News. September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
5. ^ "GM Antonio rules first Qualifying Tournament". Manila Standard. October 18, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
6. ^ "Torre, 7 Other GMs Join PCAP". Journal Online. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
7. ^ Navarro, June (December 7, 2020). "Pro chess league slates Dec. 20 draft". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
8. ^ "SMC's Ang throws support behind Philippine pro chess tourney". The Philippine STAR.
9. ^ a b Olivares, Rick (2 May 2023). "Pasig defeats Davao, wins 3rd Pro Chess title". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
10. ^ Olivares, Rick. "Philippine pro chess body to invite foreign teams for Open Conference". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
11. ^ a b c Olivares, Rick (November 23, 2020). "Philippine pro chess body bares plans for maiden tourney". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
12. ^ Olivares, Rick (12 April 2021). "Wesley So Cup to kick off May 15". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
13. ^ "PCAP Introduces Officers". Journal Online. November 20, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
14. ^ "Results". Professional Chess Association of the Philippines. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
15. ^ Olivares, Rick (23 March 2024). "Can any team topple the Pasig Pirates in PCAP?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website