(818) KNOW YOUR OPPONENT AND YOURSELF (TBN-Oct. 27, 2014)

FIRST MEETING AFTER 25 YEARS

                     GM Darwin Laylo, right, is a member of Philippine Team to the 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia together with chess prodigy GM Wesley So, middle, and Roberto Hernandez, left. GM Laylo and Roberto played a drawn game in 1989 and met again in Sept. 2011 during the 18^th birthday celebration of GM So.       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez  -- Taken by Tito Cabunagan)

         KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

                AND YOURSELF 

CHESS Grandmasters (GM) all around the world advised players (beginners or masters) to study their opponents’ games at least 40 of their games to know their styles, strengths, weaknesses and their favorite openings.

                During the World Chess Olympiad, held every two years, this advise seems impossible to do because you were given only 16 hours to prepare even with the help of Chessbase, where you can get information about any player you search.

                It happens in the recently concluded 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway that Palau Board 1 player Roberto Hernandez prepared against his opponent, International Master (IM) Andrei Obudchuk of Russia, representing IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association). He’s got 16 hours to study 89 available games of IM Obudchuk. Roberto was able to reduce it in half by studying only the games that IM Odubchuk had played as white, because he will be handling the white pieces in the 2^nd round against Palau. Roberto was able to reduce it further by studying only those games that IM Obudchuk has lost playing the white pieces.

                For sure, Mr. Obudchuk also researched about Roberto’s available games (more than 30) at Chessbase –8 games from 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Australia; 11 games from Istanbul, Turkey Olympiad, 9 games from 2006 Palau Invitational Chess Championship and 9 games from 2011 3^rd PICC.

                If you study one game in one hour, it’s really not enough but at least, you will be getting an idea of how good that player is, what are his/her favorite openings and his/her style of play.

                In the 2003 Senior and Junior Chess Tournament, Roberto applied this advice against his penultimate round opponent Cyril Montel, Jr. in Nov. 30, 2003. But he’s got only 16 available games of Cyril. Still, he noticed that as white, both of them always starts with 1. e4 and in those games of them, Roberto never open with 1. d4.

                When they played with Roberto as white, he opened with 1. d4 and Cyril thought for 5 minutes before his first move! Cyril is never expecting a 1. d4 opening from Roberto. This has psychological effect on Cyril and he lost easily in 32 moves.

                Roberto added something about this advice: KNOW ALSO YOURSELF!

To know yourself better, you must have a record of all your games. CM Joselito Marcos, Roberto’s best friend, have more than 700 games in his chess career, separating the wins, losses and draws way back in the 1970’s.

                Thanks to Jeffrey Balbalosa. He taught Roberto how to save his games in Chessbase. Currently, Roberto has posted/saved more than 350 of his games way back from 1989 where he lately discovered that he played a game with GM Darwin Laylo in Sept. 25, 1989 at the Manila Mayor’s Cup Open Chess Tournament held at the Manila City Hall. And the result was a draw in 70 moves!

                By knowing themselves, players will improve a lot. SO KNOW YOUR OPPONENT AND YOURSELF.

                In the upcoming 2014 Palau National Chess Championship to be held on Nov. 16, 2014-Jan. 25, 2015, 7^th seed Eugenio Pastrana withdrew because he’s busy with his job on that date. He will be replaced by inactive Gonzalo Escapatoria (1699 rating), if he is available. If not, Nilo de Jesus(1624) or Rafael Paloma (1612) are next in line for the Top 10 division.

                Those who paid their registration fees are Marcial Santander ($20.00), Felix Oling ($20.00), Paquito Suringa, Jr. ($10.00) and Ultei Angelei Surangel ($10.00) in the junior division.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 4433: 1. …Rh1+!! 2. Kxh1 Qh6+ 3. Kg1 Qh2 mate.

                This week’s puzzle No. 4434: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Page 8
             Volume 23
             Issue 86
             October 27, 2014