2011 PNCC co-champion Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., left, watches a controversial game between Gene Pastrana and Angie Parrado. Cyril had one vs. Gene in 2009-2010 PNCC. Watching also are 3 employees of Palau Royal Resort Lee Lozano, Jeffrey Negrillo, Paquito Suringa, Jr. and the 3 daughters of Angie.
(Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)
Profile of Champions --
CYRIL TOMAS MONTEL, JR.
THE 2009-2010 Palau National Chess Championship was the turning point of Cyril’s chess career in Palau. Not only that he captured his first chess title in Palau but he also became the first champion in any tournament in Palau that didn’t lose a single game. He swept the opposition like a storm in all of his games.
At the end of the
tournament, he cited the chess software “Chessmaster 9000 Grandmaster Edition”
as his secret weapon in winning his first title and national championship. His
match against Manuel in Jan. 23, showed a sign of playing with maturity as he
sacrificed his queen on the 29th move, recovered it with interest (a
pawn and a bishop) 2 moves later and prevailed over Manuel in 38 moves of
Sicilian Defence.
Thus, he dislodged erstwhile top player of Palau Menandro
‘Boy’ Manuel and assumed the top FIDE ranking of 1942, the same rating of
Manuel in 2006.
Cyril
participated in all but one major chess tournaments in Palau since Sept. 2002
and won numerous runner-up finishes but never been a champion. He was involved
in a touch move controversial game against venue host Gene Pastrana in the
2009-2010 PNCC that resulted in Gene’s withdrawal from the tournament after his
refusal to follow FIDE Laws of Chess.
He struggled at the 2010-2011 PNCC and
finished 4th behind champ Manuel, Jerry Sermeno and Roberto
Hernandez.
At
the recently concluded 2011 PNCC, Cyril’s last games again involved Manuel, who
defeated him handily. This set up a possible 4-way tie for the championship
between eventual champions Tito Cabunagan, Cyril, Hernandez and Manuel.
An
upset of Dennis Gonzales over Manuel on the last day of the tourney ousted the
latter and settled for 4th spot. The result is: 2011 PNCC have 3
deserving co-champions.
IT’S
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THESE FACTS ABOUT THE 3 CHAMPIONS:
1.The
winner-over-the-other tiebreak gives the title to Tito and Cyril as they drew
their game.
2. If the Sonneborn Berger system of tiebreak will be used,
Hernandez will be the champion with 168.5 points to Cyril’s 152 and to Tito’s
146 tiebreak points derived from adding the player’s points and the points of
the opponents that they have beaten.
3. If the Median tiebreak system is
applied, Tito will be leading the other 2 with 172 points, Hernandez stays at
168.5 and Cyril will have 167.8 tiebreak points. Median is adding half points
of the players that they drew and whole point from the opponents that they have
beaten.
It’s better to leave the results as it is published than saying “Hernandez is 2011 PNCC champ via Sonneborn Berger system and Tito via Median and winner-over-the-other”. There’s beauty in simplicity.
Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Volume 20 Issue 42
October 10, 2011
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