(727) ROBERTO IS THE CHAMPION OF 2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS TILT; PAX IS 2ND

The agreed rule for Palau Chess Federation's players of the same company must play in the first 3 rounds and not in the last 3 rounds was not followed by CM Bernardo Garcia, left, who played Rafael Paloma instead of Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., 2nd from right.   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -Taken by Neph Macasaet)

Since Bernard is already playing, Roberto is now set to play top seed Cyril for what could be the championship game. If Roberto will win, he will be the undefeated champion with 10 straight wins and the doubt of game fixing, which Bernard is suspecting during the 2012  Palau National Chess Championship, will not be questioned anymore. Roberto arrived at 2:30 pm with Paquito Suringa, Jr. and new PRR employee Felix Olay at Bethlehem Park for the penultimate round.
                                       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Neph Makasaet)

 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.)

 
At the middle table, Rustum Cabuso, 2nd from left, is practicing with newcomer to Palau (1 week) Felix Olay, a very good chess player. He practiced with Roberto on Saturday afternoon, winning 5 games and losing 3. Paquito played 8 games also with him on Friday evening and managed only a win and a draw.               (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Pool B Leaders Jeff Balbalosa, left, (8-1-0 win-loss-draw record)  and Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. (8-0-1) played their crucial game also in the penultimate round. Pax won in 42 moves of King's Indian Defence to finish 1st runner-up to Roberto. He is expected to gain more rating points.
                                                     (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

  THE MOVES:                  JEFFREY BALBALOSA (WHITE)  VS.
                                               PAQUITO SURINGA, JR. (BLACK)
                                                             King's Indian Defence
1. d4 g6  2. Nf3 Bg7  3. e3 Nf6  4. Bd3 d5  5. Nbd2 Nbd7  6. b3 b6  7. Bb2 c5  8. 0-0 0-0  9. c4 Bb7  10. Re1 e6  11. Ne5 Nxe5  12. dxe5 Nd7  13. Nf3 Qc7  14. e4 d4  15. Qe2 Nxe5  16. Nxe5 Bxe5  17. h3 Qe7  18. Bc1 Qh4  19. Rf1 g5  20. f3 Qg3  21. f4 Bxf4  22. Bxf4 gxf4  23. Qh5 f6  24. Qe2 e5  25. Rf3 Qg5  26. Kh2 Kf7  27. g3 Rg8  28. g4 Qh4  29. Rg1 Rg5  30. Rg2 Rag8  31. Qf2 Qh6  32. Kg1 Qg6  33. Kf1 h5  34. Qg1 Bxe4  35. Bxe4 Qxe4  36. Qf2 Qb1+  37. Qe1 Qxe1+  38. Kxe1 hxg4  39. hxg4  Rxg4  40. Rxg4 Rxg4  41. Rh3 Kg7 42. Kf2 e4       0-1




Source: History of Chess In Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               May 2014