(1042) 2015 RAPID CHESS WINNERS ARE CYRIL, JEFF, ROBERTO, PAX, ALLAN & BHENG (TBN-Aug. 17, 2015)

:    TOP 6 FINISHERS, THEIR CASH PRIZES AND CERTIFICATES

                      L-R Allan Alcid (5^th), Roberto Hernandez (3^rd), Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. (Champion), Jeff Balbalosa (2^nd), Bheng Mission (2^nd Women’s Division) and Paquito Suringa, Jr. (4^th) pose at the awarding of cash prizes and certificates. The trophies will be awarded next Sunday (Aug. 23).

                                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

      2015 RAPID CHESS WINNERS ARE

        CYRIL, JEFF, ROBERTO, PAX,

              ALLAN AND BHENG

 

IT WAS one of the most exciting final days in Palau 13^th year chess history. After the 7th round was finished, top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. remains unbeaten after 7 rounds of play in the 2015 Palau Rapid Chess Championship by beating Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr.

But things have changed in the 8th round when Paquito Suringa, Jr. dealt Montel, Jr. his first loss in the 8th and penultimate round and thus make the final day on Aug. 16 as the most exciting final round ever of rapid chess in Palau history.

Roberto Hernandez drew his match with Paquito in 119 moves of English Opening. Roberto missed a winning pawn capture on the 31st move to make 3 connected and unopposed passed pawns. He missed another winning move on the 34th move, Rb5 that will allow him to win more materials.

Instead, Paquito equalizes and they are both left with a king and a rook. Roberto hold on to take advantage of Paquito's illegal move in the endgame that cost him 2 minutes deduction in his clock. Another illegal move will cost him a point. But he didn't. And after 50 moves of no capture, with CM Bernardo Garcia counting the moves, the game ended in a draw after a marathon 119 moves.

OTHER RESULTS OF THE 7TH ROUND:

Jeff Balbalosa touted Arnolfo Inres; Allan Alcid defeated John Mark Tamayo; Dennis Gonzales clobbered Sofronio 'Pons' Mahor; Garcia nips Eugene Labarda; Manuel Mahor, Jr. drubbed Glen Navarroza and the last 4 players didn't show up and lost their games--Nilo de Jesus vs. Chris Kitalong and Josef Karlo Moyet vs. Edmond Barayuga.

In the 8th round, Roberto couldn't hang on to his one-piece advantage and made a stupid capture on g2 square that allowed Dennis Gonzales' g file to open up for a strong attack. With the loss, the best that Roberto could finish is a tie with Cyril and Pax at first place if Cyril would lose to Dennis in the final round and Garcia will beat Jeff Balbalosa.

THE MOVES:[Event "2015 Palau Rapid Chess Championship"][Site "Bethlehem Park Koror City, Palau"]
[Date "2015.08.09"][Round "8"][White "Gonzales, Dennis"][Black "Hernandez, Roberto"][Result "1-0"
[White Elo "1700"][Black Elo "1858"]

        1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Bg5 Bb4+ 5. Nbd2 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. Be2 g4 10. a3 gxf3 11. axb4 fxe2 12. Qxe2 Nxd2 13. Qxd2 Qf6 14. Bxc7 Na6 15. Be5 Qe7 16. c5 b6 17. Bd6 Qg5 18. Bxf8 Qxg2 19. O-O-O Kxf8 20. Rhg1 Qd5 21.e4 Qc4+ 22. Kb1 Nxb4 23. Qxh6+ Ke7 24. Qh4+ Kf7 25. Qh7+  1-0

STANDINGS AFTER 8 ROUNDS:

Place                                                         Rating             Points

   1. Montel, Jr., Cyril Tomas                    1920                6.5

   2. Balbalosa, Jeffrey                               1615                6

   3. Suringa Jr, Paquito                             1763               5.5

   4. Hernandez, Roberto                          1858               5.5

   5. Garcia, Bernardo                                                         5

   6. Gonzales, Dennis                                1700                5

   7. Alcid, Allan                                                                  4.5

   8. Inres, Arnolfo                                                             4.5

   9. Tamayo, John Mark                                                   4.5

  10. Escapatoria Jr, Gonzalo                                           4

  11. Labarda, Eugene                              1448                4

  12. Mahor Jr, Manuel                                                    3.5

  13. Mahor, Sofronio                                                      3.5

  14. Navarroza, Glen                               1353               3

  15. De Jesus, Nilo                                   1497               2

  16. Barayuga, Edmond                                                  1

  17. Moyet, Josef Karlo                                                  1

18. Kitalong, Chris                                                           0

                  FINAL ROUND PAIRINGS: (August 16, 2015) 

1. Montel, Jr., Cyril Tomas             vs.    Gonzales, Dennis

2. Balbalosa, Jeffrey                        vs.     Garcia, Bernardo

3. Hernandez, Roberto                   vs.     Tamayo, John Mark

4. De Jesus, Nilo                              vs.      Suringa, Jr., Paquito

5. Barayuga, Edmond                     vs.     Alcid, Allan

6. Kitalong, Chris                             vs.     Inres, Arnolfo

7. Labarda, Eugene                         vs.     Mahor, Jr., Manuel

8. Moyet, Josef Karlo                     vs.    Escapatoria, Jr., Gonzalo

9. Mahor, Sofronio                         vs.     Navarroza, Glen

   

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3781: 1. Qg6+!! Nxg6 2. Rh5+!! Nxh5 3. g4 mate.

                This week’s puzzle No. 3782: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9  and 11

             Volume 24

             Issue 66

             August 17, 2015