The Palauan guy in the middle requested Roberto Hernandez not to mention his name if ever this photo is published. He's practicing with Koichi Matsuda, an Honorary Member of Palau Chess Federation for his snack/dinner sponsorship to the players during the 2005 Regular Chess Tournament held at Privilege Family Store in Malakal. Cyril Montel, Jr., left, is reviewing his previous game by himself early in the evening.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
HERNANDEZ WINS BLITZ TITLE,
BRILLIANCY PRIZE
IT'S the most busiest day of chess competition in 2nd seed Roberto Hernandez' chess career as he rules the one-day 2005 Blitz Chess Festival held at Long Island Park. It's only halfway finished and it's getting dark so they resumed the games at Privilege Family Store in Malakal.
Hernandez notched 10 wins, a loss and a draw in the double round-robin competition of speed chess. The time control is 10 minutes for each player to finish the game. You must say "check" when attacking your opponent's king. Touch move rules does not apply and you can't win by time forfeit if you don't have enough materials to checkmate your opponent.
The participants were top seed Menandro Manuel (3-7-2), Cyril Montel, Jr. (4-7-1), Jimmy Valenzuela (6-5-1), Lin de Guzman (3-9-0), Gene Pastrana (3-8-1) and Bong Alipoon (9-2-1), who gave Hernandez a very tough final game that can go either way as both players were going for the winner takes all cash prize. The champion keeps half of the prize and the other half were spent on drinks for all participants.
Top favorite Manuel, who won two blitz titles in September 2004, was not in his top form as he was swept by Hernandez and Valenzuela and even split the match with Montel, Jr. and Pastrana.
Alipoon, meanwhile, swept Pastrana, de Guzman, Montel, Jr. and Valenzuela and could have won the event if he didn't miss the capture of Hernandez' queen in their first game and a king retreat to g8 in their climactic final game.
The first match pairings fit number 1 vs. 6, 2 vs. 5 and 3 vs. 4. The Manuel-Hernandez first game ended with both players having 2 seconds left on their clock but the flag on Manuel's clock fell first and Hernandez won another game by a mere split second.
Former champion Jess Toldoya acted as arbiter and notified both players of the time forfeiture that Hernandez didn't see as they are scrambling to beat the clock and pieces literally flying.
It's a lucky day for Hernandez as he won also the brilliancy prize of $50.00 in the just concluded 2005 Regular Chess Tournament that was sponsored by the officers and members of Palau Paradise Lions Club, who will be awarding the trophies to all the winners this Sunday, May 1 at their headquarters near Palasia Hotel and Galaxy Video.
Montel, Jr., Manuel and Hernandez are the top 3 seeds that reviewed the brilliancy game nominees: Ivan II Chess Computer vs.Pastrana (Four Knights Defence), Ronald Maomay vs. Ivan II Chess Computer (Sicilian Defence-Dragon Variation) and Ivan II vs. Hernandez (Queen's Gambit Accepted).
Manuel has chosen the Maomay-Ivan II game and Montel, Jr. picked Ivan II-Hernandez match and stated that the queen sacrifice to force mate was more deserving that the knight and rook sacrifice/exchange in the other 2 games.
And since Maomay is not back in Palau yet, Hernandez picked also his game against Ivan II as the winner. He happily informed his wife, who is sick with flu.
Boie Aguas, the President of The Filipino Community in Palau (TFCP), asked Hernandez to look for trophy maker here in Palau for the winners of 2004 Rapid Chess tournament. If it will be done in time for the awarding this Sunday, the awarding will also be held at the headquarters of PPLC. Tutii Joe Chilton is Hernandez' first choice to make the wooden trophies (chess pieces-shaped). He will provide the wood (guava tree) and might even help him to make those.
Solution to last week's puzzle: 1. Be6 (try to figure out the variations)
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13-14
Volume 12
April 29-May 05, 2005
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