Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, right, and his son Ksau Anthony have a "selfpi" while at the tallest building in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records measured it on Jan. 04, 2010 at 828 meters or 2,716.5 feet. They participated in the 2003 World Youth Chess Championship in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates on Dec. 17-29, 2013. Palau, Solomon Islands and Timor are the 3 first timers in this event. (Photo by Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps)
MICRONESIAN OPEN
OR INVITATIONAL?
THERE'S an ongoing conflict of proceeding with the
Micronesian Open Chess Tournament even with a very limited number of
participants and after it, the 4th Palau Invitational Chess
Championship will follow. The Open will be Swiss System while the PICC will be
single round-robin of 10 players (4 invited and 6 locals).
The
Micronesian Open was offered to Roberto Hernandez many months ago by Oceania
Chess Confederation President Brian Jones of Australia because Guam refused to
host it as they are preparing to participate for the first time in 2014 World
Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway to be held on Aug. 01-14, 2014.
The PICC was slated to be held in
Nov. 27-Dec. 03, 2013 but because of Typhoon Haiyan, it was postponed to Feb.
20-25, 2014, a date suggested by Mr. Jones so that he can participate also. He and
his wife Margaret was booked by Roberto at Palau Royal Resort for 7 nights
(Feb. 19-25, 2014) for local net rate of $170.00/night including breakfast.
We’d like to thank Mr. Shinichi Arakawa, Rooms Director of PRR, for giving this
rate.
The
conflict begun when Mr. Ignatius Leong, the General Secretary of World Chess
Federation (FIDE) offered to send 4 players from Philippines, Malaysia and
Singapore at his own expense for the PICC so that the invited players from
Kenya, Namibia, India and England don’t have to spend so much for airfare.
He
suggests cancelling the Micronesian Cup, and to proceed only with the PICC, in
which the invited players are not expecting cash prizes, only token medals,
souvenir items or small storyboards.
The
main problem of holding both events is the local players’ schedule. They come
to Palau to work and playing chess is only for leisure. It’s very hectic for
them to play 9 games in 6 days (9-12am and 3-7pm). Mr. Leong’s suggestion is to
have the PICC only on Feb. 20 (arrival)-28(departure), play one game a day
(evening) and 2 games on Sat. and Sunday.
When
Mr. Leong was reminded about the chess equipment that FIDE is supposed to send
to Palau, Roberto mentioned the number of schools in Palau –Kindergarten (5)
Ages 0-5; Primary (23) Ages 5-11; Secondary (3) Ages 11-14 and College (1) Ages
14-16.
Immediately, Mr. Leong arranged
to send 500 chess sets and 100 chess clocks for Palau to be used in teaching
chess at schools.
Roberto contacted the new
President of PCF Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps about the volume of the shipment.
Eric said there might be a problem with the customs because of the large
volume. They might think that PCF will sell it for profit.
It
happened in 2006 when FIDE sent 100 chess sets and 20 chess clocks to Palau
through Roberto’s P. O. Box address of 1501. Only 20 chess clocks and 4 chess
sets arrived through airmail. The other 96 chess sets were sent through Mumbai,
India by ship because it weighs 50 kilos.
There was a problem with the
shipment and the 96 chess sets were stocked in the warehouse for so long that
it will cost more to pay the storage fee than the price of the chess sets
itself.
Roberto
suggested to Mr. Leong to put a sign like the one they put in the 2006
shipment:
“FOR CUSTOMS PURPOSES: These chess supplies are a gift by
the International Chess Federation FIDE under the CACDEC program (for
developing nations). THEY SHOULD NOT BE TAXED. These goods have been prepaid
and are absolutely FREE OF CHARGE.”
Casto
‘Toti’ Abundo, the Deputy President of Asian Chess Federation, and Geoffrey
Borg, FIDE Vice President, have contacted Roberto on Sunday, Jan. 12, for a meeting
with Palau’s chess officials. Mr. Borg asked Roberto to book 2 rooms for them
at PRR from Jan. 21-24, 2014. Mr. Arakawa agreed again for the same local net
rate of $170.00/night.
(Mr. Abundo and Mr. Borg text Roberto on Jan. 21 that their flight from Manila to Palau will be an hour late and to please advise them of the name of the hotel and they will just take a taxi so not to disturb Roberto, who is planning to fetch them at the airport. Minutes later, the flight was cancelled due to typhoon. Roberto cancelled their reservation but after an hour, Mr. Abundo text that they will arrive in Palau at 03:00 hours on Jan. 23 via Asiana Airlines flight 609 from Seoul.) Their 4-night stay will now be 2 nights and because there is no available taxi at the airport at 3am, Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps and Roberto will be at the airport to drop them at PRR.
(Mr. Abundo and Mr. Borg text Roberto on Jan. 21 that their flight from Manila to Palau will be an hour late and to please advise them of the name of the hotel and they will just take a taxi so not to disturb Roberto, who is planning to fetch them at the airport. Minutes later, the flight was cancelled due to typhoon. Roberto cancelled their reservation but after an hour, Mr. Abundo text that they will arrive in Palau at 03:00 hours on Jan. 23 via Asiana Airlines flight 609 from Seoul.) Their 4-night stay will now be 2 nights and because there is no available taxi at the airport at 3am, Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps and Roberto will be at the airport to drop them at PRR.
Mr.
Leong also asked Roberto to get the costs of 2 rooms (twin-sharing) for his 4
sponsored players to stay at PRR for 7 nights. He will be paying also the
$800.00 membership fee of Palau to Asian Chess Federation for the year
2007-2014.
WHY
ARE THESE HIGH-RANKING FIDE OFFICIALS EAGER TO HELP/ASSIST PALAU IN ITS EVENTS
AND FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS?
The
2014 World Chess Olympiad in Norway is also the site of FIDE Election of
President, Vice Presidents and General Secretary. Incumbent Kirzan Ilyumzhinov
and former world chess champion Gary Kasparov will fight it out for FIDE presidency.
Mr.
Leong has shifted to Kasparov’s camp and the General Secretary position of
Kirzan’s camp will be contested this time by Mr. Abundo and Mr. Leong.
JUST
LIKE ANYWHERE ELSE, CANDIDATES/POLITICIANS ARE NICE DURING ELECTION YEAR.
Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qxf7+!! Nxf7 2. Bxf7+
Kd8 3. Ne6 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 23
Issue 06
January 20, 2014
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