Thursday, March 29, 2012

(96) WE'RE NOW 2 YEARS OLD

                         WE'RE NOW 2 YEARS OLD

HOW TIME flies! Chess Mate is now two years old without missing a single issue, not even when the author had a six-week vacation in the Philippines from May 29 to July 10, 2004.

A lot have been accomplished with the help of so many people and sponsors of the eight tournaments that have been held in Palau. Contributions of players' knowledge about the game and their participation produced a lot of quality games at par with other countries.

With Chess Mate on its third year, more recent developments around the chess world will be shared to its readers.

THE NEW AND UPDATED RATINGS FOR THE 2005 REGULAR CHESS TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 16 ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Eddie Grefiel (2091) 2. Roberto Hernandez (2034) 3. Ivan II Chess Computer (2032) 4. Menandro Manuel (1948) 5. Cyril Montel, Jr. (1940) 6. Jose Omega (1921) 7. Jimboy de Jesus (1889) 8. Jess Toldoya (1883) 9. Jimmy Valenzuela (1878) 10. Mike Miguel, Jr. (1843) 11. Bong Alipoon (1819) 12. Danny Dandoy (1793) 13. Lin de Guzman (1776) 14. Mario Ramos (1746) 15. Joel Azana (1697) 16. Morton Sawaichi (1654) 17. Dennis Gonzales (1647) 18. Gene Pastrana (1646) 19. Mariano Agustin, Jr. (1636) 20. Den Canaria (1599) 21. Wilson Milambiling (1599) 22. Gerry Sermeno (1583) 23. Pastor Fontanilla (1560) and Tutii Joe Chilton (1510).

De Jesus earned the most points (179) for his exemplary performance in the recently concluded 2oo4 Rapid Chess tournament held beside his residence. (Home-court advantage?)

Pastrana is second with 146 followed by Montel, Jr. (141) and Omega (140). Azana (111) and Most Improved Player Lin de Guzman completes the list of triple digit points earners while Agustin, Jr. was the only one who lost rating points due to his struggling performance in the 2004 Rapid Chess tournament.

AND SPEAKING OF RAPID CHESS, ROBERTO HERNANDEZ WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING THAT HE COLLECTED WHILE HE WAS WORKING IN THE MIDDLE EAST (BAHRAIN) AS MUSICIAN IN KHAYAM TAVERNA (GREEK RESTAURANT) WITH PARTNER ANTONIS SERGIO, A CYPRIOT BOUZUKI PLAYER.

The Khaleej Times December 13, 1988 issue reported the first World Rapid Chess Championship, then referred to as "Active", as follows:

KARPOV HAS AN EASY FIRST ROUND VICTORY
Dmazatlan (Mexico) -- Some of the globe's top chess players battled against each other and the clock on Sunday at the opening of the first World Active Chess Championship.

Former world champion Anatoly Karpov of the Soviet Union won his first round match well within the time limit but others took their games to the wire in the $150,000 tournament of rapid chess.

While Karpov appeared to have little difficulty with fellow Soviet Nana Ioseliani, other players found their pieces literally flying off the board as they as they attempted to finish their matches within the 60-minute time limit.

Walter Browne of the United States frantically made his final moves against cool 14-year old Hungarian Zsofia Polgar before the two agreed to a first round draw.

Active chess is an attempt to make the sport palatable for a mass television audience.

"In general it's less beautiful but it's much more exciting, even for the players," said Horst Metzing, general secretary of the West German Chess Federation.

Unlike traditional chess where single matches can last over six hours, active chess matches must be finished within an hour with each player having 30 minutes to make his moves.

The active form is an effort by chess players and promoters to gain a larger audience and television coverage for a sport traditionally limited to a hard core following of afficionados.

With increased popularity, there will be more money for national and international chess federations as well as for players, tourney organizers said.

"If television is interested, the sponsors are interested," Metzing said.

The Active Chess Championship, being played through Saturday in Mazatlan on Mexico's Pacific coast, is being televised to the United States and Europe by a Mexican television network.

And finally, in the 1998 World Under 14 Rapid Chess Championship, Mark Paragua captured the title and is now the Philippines number one rated player with an ELO rating of 2534, ahead of Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio, Jr. and Asia's first Grandmaster Eugene Torre.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper December 31, 2004 - January 07, 2005

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