(732) HERNANDEZ IS 2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS CHAMPION (TBN-May 26, 2014)

FIRST UNDEFEATED TOURNEY FOR ROBERTO
    

National Master and soon to be FIDE Instructor Roberto Hernandez, right, claimed his first undefeated tournament in Palau. His best results was the 2003 Senior and Junior Open Chess Tournament where he won 11, lost 1 (to Jun Mahor) and drew 2 games. Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., left, did it in 2009 PNCC and thereby replaced Menandro Manuel as Palau top chess player since then.                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Neph Macasaet)


  HERNANDEZ IS 2014 PALAU OPEN
               CHESS CHAMPION

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. This has become the philosophy of National Master (NM) Roberto Hernandez and Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr., both of Palau Royal Resort as they finished 1^st and 2^nd respectively with one round to spare in the penultimate round of 2014 Palau Open Chess Tournament held at Bethlehem Park on Sunday, May 18.

                The PRR duo practice chess 4 hours every day for 2 months and it helps them build their confidence in topping their respective Pools (A & B) with Hernandez outwitting Palau top chess player and fellow NM Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. in 43 moves of Bird’s Opening for his 10^th straight win to top the Pool A while Pax clobbered Jeffrey Balbalosa in 42 moves of King’s Indian Defence and finished with 9.5 points to top Pool B. His only drawn game was against 2^nd seed Jose Celiz, who whipped WNM Angelica Parrado and Baby Edna Mission to keep his chances for at least 3^rd place intact, if he would beat 4^th seed Tito Cabunagan and John Joseph Pabiona in the final day (May 25) and if Cyril would lose one of his last 2 games (against CM Bernard Garcia and Rafael Paloma).

                Garcia touted Paloma in 46 moves of English Opening to keep abreast with Cyril, Tito, Jose and Jeff while Dennis Gonzales drubbed Paloma in 54 moves of Sicilian Defence in a special game held at Paloma’s residence. Dennis finished the tournament with 7 points from 6 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws.

               THE MOVES: NM Roberto Hernandez (White)NM Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. (Black) Bird’s Opening

          1. f4 d5  2. Nf3 c5  3. e3 Nf6  4. Nc3 Nc6  5. Bb5 Bd7  6. 0-0 a6  7. Be2 e6  8. Ne5 d4  9. Nb1 Bd6  10. Nc4 Bc7  11. d3 b5  12. Nca3 (When Nilo de Jesus came and saw this position, he asked "How did the other knight get in there?") 0-0  13. e4 Ne7  14. g4 h6  15. c4 b4  16. Nc2 Qb8  17. e5 Nh7  18. Nd2 f5  19. Bf3 Bc6  20. gxf5 (the first capture... on the 20th move!) Bxf3  21. Qxf3 Rxf3  22. Qe4 Qf8  23. Nb3 Ng5?  24. Qg2 Bxe5 Cyril thought for more than 20 minutes with this move after making a mistake on the 23rd move). 24. fxe5 (capturing with 24. fxg5 loses to 24. ... Bxh2+ with long variation leading to losing the exchange or queen) 24. ... Rxf1+ 25. Qxf1 Nf3+  26. Kh1 Ng6  27. Nxc5 (actually, I didn't see that the knight can be captured by the queen but learned later that I will capture his knight if he do so) 27. ...Qxc5  28. Qxf3 Rf8  29. Qe4 Rf1+  30. Kg2 Qf8  31. Nxd4 Qf2+  31. Kh3 Nf4+  32. Bxf4 (giving up the exchange but put his rook out of action. Capturing with the queen is also feasible) 32. ... Rxa1  33. Nxe6 Rg1  34. Bg3 Qf1+   35. Kg4 h5+  36. Kh4 (refusing the pawn sacrifice although 36. ...Qf7+ can be met by 37. Qg6) 36. ... Qf7?? 37. Qa8+ Kh7  38. Ng5+ At this point, the crowd started to analyze the game and the last previous moves. Cyril surprised them with "I haven't resigned yet!" 38. ...Kg6  39. Nxf7  Kxf7 40. Qa7+ Kg6  41. Qxg1  (Cyril resigned and spent another 30 minutes analyzing what has gone wrong on his 23rd move.)

            Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. … Ra1+!! 2. Kxa1 Qa3+ 3. Ra2 Qc1 mate. Congrats again to Neph Macasaet for solving this puzzle. Keep it up!

            This week’s puzzle: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 8 & 11
             Volume 23
             Issue 42
             May 26, 2014