(L-R) Menandro Manuel, Tito Cabunagan, CM Bernardo Garcia, Mohammad Manik Hossain, Roberto Hernandez (standing), Dennis Gonzales, George Anzawa, Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. and Jeff Balbalosa during the 2011 Palau Invitational Chess Championship. Except for Gonzales and Anzawa, the rest are interested to play in the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway on August 01-14, 2014.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS ONLY ONCE
A SLOT for Palau Chess Team to
2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey was offered to Mohammad Manik
Hossain in 2010 after the Russia Olympiad.
One
of the requirements to be in the team is that he must be able to provide
himself his own airfare –Palau-Manila-Istanbul.
Manik
started saving to be prepared financially for the trip. Full accommodation is
being provided in all Olympiads. Palau, being a CACDEC member as a developing
chess country, is also entitled to pocket money of $100.00 for each member
including the team captain.
Two
months prior to the 2012 Chess Olympiad, letters of invitation were sent to all
Palau chess team members—Board 1 Roberto Hernandez, Board 2 Tito Cabunagan,
Board 3 Bernardo Garcia, Board 4 Menandro Manuel and reserve is Manik.
Menandro’s wife Elizabeth will be the Head of Delegation and the Delegate is
Mr. Jan Berglund of Sweden. Jamie Kenmure of Australia will be the team captain
for the 2nd time.
When
the invitation to get Turkish visa was sent, everybody works on their papers
except Manik, who is waiting for his employer to allow him to go.
He
asked Hernandez to write a letter to his employer to allow him to go and then he
will proceed to Bangladesh for 3 months vacation. It’s too much to ask even if
he hasn’t had a vacation for 6 years.
He
was allowed to go 2 weeks before the start of Olympiad which is really very
late. Manik missed his chance. He said he will not miss the 2014 World Chess
Olympiad in Tromso, Norway this time.
OPPORTUNITY
KNOCKS ONLY ONCE. Because of the success of Palau’s chess team to Istanbul,
many players showed their interests to be in the team, now with Women’s Team!
Palau’s
top chess player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. confirmed his participation. Jeffrey
Balbalosa and Paquito Suringa, Jr. are also interested.
During
the 2012 Palau National Chess Championship, the tentative composition of Palau
Women’s Team is this: Board 1 Angie Parrado, Board 2 Baby Edna Mission, Board 3
Mary Frances Lopez, Board 4 Paz Ngiratechekii and the reserve is Elizabeth
Manuel. This is a very weak line-up.
In
spite of this weak line-up, Jeff will be the team captain of women’s team to
accommodate him. But he likes to play and being a women’s team captain, he
don’t have a chance to play.
A
big development happened after the 2013 Palau Rapid Chess Championship where
newcomers Gladys Paloma and 2013 Guam International Chess tournament Palau rep
Joy Flores Whipps joined and finished strongly.
The new line-up is the best that
Palau can have at the moment: Board 1 Angie Parrado, Board 2 Gladys Paloma,
Board 3 Baby Edna Mission, Board 4 Joy Flores Whipps and the reserve is still
the same—Elizabeth Manuel.
If
the playing day is Saturday, Joy can have a rest and Elizabeth can play. The
team captain of women’s team now will be Lilibeth Cabunagan, the wife of Tito.
So there will be 2 couples in Palau’s team.
Now
the door is closed for Jeff, Pax and Manik as team captain of women’s team. If
the line-up for Men’s (Open) team will be like this--1. Cyril 2. Menandro 3.
Bernard 4. Tito and reserve Roberto, then no more spot for Pax, Manik and Jeff.
BUT,
if Roberto will sacrifice being the reserve player and be the Head of
Delegation instead, there will be a playoff between the 3 with the champion
getting the last slot.
If
Roberto will give the Head of Delegation spot to the new President of Palau
Chess Federation Eric Ksau Whipps, then there will be no need for playoff.
Another option is if Mr. Berglund didn’t make it, then Roberto will be the
Delegate and a playoff will be held for the last slot.
Because
of the very slim chance to make it to the team this time, Manik is willing to
be the women’s team captain even if he can’t play. Unlike in 2012 Olympiad
where he has all the opportunity to be in the team, this time the chance is not
there for his taking. HE LETS THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN AN OLYMPIAD BY
BEING TENTATIVE. As Roberto told him, “the most important thing is “YOU’VE GOT
TO BE THERE”.
Nothing
is sure unless you board the plane going to Olympiad.
Solution
to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qxg7+!! Kxg7 2. Bh6+ Kxf6 3. g5 mate.
This
week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9 & 11
Volume 22
Issue 54
July 08, 2013
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