Manny Kimpo, standing 2nd from left, is the sponsor of 6 trophies and $100.00 brilliancy prize in the ongoing National Chess Championship. After having dinner and sing-along at Rose Garden Resort, they have a photo session with (from right sitting) Zeny Tan, Reggie Salazar, Lourdes Funa, Manny's wife, son JB and Roberto Hernandez, Chairman of Knights and Rooks Chess Club. It's interesting to note that all of them can sing a variety of songs. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Sixth seed Edwin Eti scalped another top seed to keep the lead in the 5th round of 2006 Palau National Chess Championship held on Easter Sunday, April 16 at Jean's Boutique and Store premises.
Manny Kimpo of Pinoy Express Reminttance, Palau sponsored trophies and $100.00 brilliancy prize.
Eti dealt top seed Menandro Manuel his first loss of the tournament in 25 moves of Queen's Gambit Declined.
The two protagonists spent a great deal of time in the opening trying to exploit the slimmest chance to seize the initiative.
Eti now has 5.5 points with one adjourned game against 2nd seed Jose Omega, who also adjourned his only game of the day with Dennis Gonzales in 17 moves of Sicilian Defence.
Fourth seed Roberto Hernandez bounced back from 0-4 start and scored 2 lucky victories to climb 4 steps higher in the standings.
He drubbed venue host Gene Pastrana in 33 moves of Modern Defence. Pastrana committed a dubious capture on the 25th move that allow Hernandez to equalize instead of being a whole rook down.
Pastrana resigned in frustration as the elusive first victory slipped from his hands.
In the last game of the day, Hernandez overcame an exchange and a pawn disadvantage to subdue former champion Jess Toldoya in 53 moves of Sicilian Defence (Najdorf Variation).
Toldoya put Hernandez on the defensive most of the duration of the game until he committed a blunder on the 31st move. With precise endgame maneuver and an active king, Hernandez managed to create a passed pawn.
Toldoya didn't anticipate Hernandez' 45th move and took him 20 minutes to response and was mated on the 53rd move of exciting chess watched by participants and expectators.
They analyzed the game and the conclusion was the over-confidence of Toldoya cost him the game.
Pastrana's elusive first win will have to wait till next week as he lost his 6th straight to Gonzales in 38 moves of another Sicilian Defence (Najdorf Variation).
Pastrana's last 4 remaining games in the first round are Manny Nedic, Eti, Toldoya and the other undefeated player Cyril Montel, Jr., who didn't play a regular game but participated in a 5-player blitz chess competition of double round-robin and 10 minutes time control for each player to finish the game.
The five players that participated in another blitz chess contest were Eti, Manuel, Hernandez, Montel, Jr. and Pastrana, who lost his first 7 matches before winning the last game over Montel, jr.
Hernandez have a 5-2 slate whilel Manuel have a 6-1 record. Their match was the most crucial as Manuel needs just a draw to clinch the title and half of the cash prize.
Manuel was in his top form and clobbered Hernandez to win another plum.
THE FINAL STANDINGS OF PLAYERS AND THEIR WIN-LOSS-DRAW RECORD: (There's not a single drawn game in the tourney)
1. Manuel (7-1) 2. Hernandez (5-3) 3. Montel, Jr. (4-4) 4. Eti (3-5) 5. Pastrana (1-7)
Solution to last week's puzzle:
1. Qa4+!! Kxa4 2. Ra1+ Kb3 3. Bd7 mate.
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