CYRIL SEIZES BACK THE TOP CHESS PLAYER OF PALAU POSITION
The time is ripe for Palau’s new No. 1
chess player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., 2nd from right, to be the 2nd
FIDE titled player of Palau. It can be achieved in the 2016 World Chess
Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan to be held from Sept. 17-30, 2016. He should be
playing at Board 3 or 4 as what have done by Papua New Guinea, Macau, Plaau and
other low-ranking countries.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Jon Manuel 'Sib' Reyes)
CYRIL IT IS!
LIGHTNING, BLITZ, RAPID
OR STANDARD TIME CONTROL
THE FIRST ever lightning chess tournament in Palau was
held on Jan. 18, 2016 (Monday) at Surangel’s Campaign Headquarters at Mason’s
Hardware premises. Sixteen players participated in the 9-round Swiss system
event, which was later become an 8-round contest due to lack of participants of
at least 18 players.
Registrations
fee is peg at $5.00 with Roberto Hernandez as the first one to pay. The other
contestants are top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Dennis Gonzales, Jeff
Balbalosa, Rustum Cabuso, Eugene Labarda, Josef Karlo Moyet, Angie Parrado, her
2 daughters Angelil and Destiny Sisior, Baby Edna Mission, Arnolfo Inres, Eric
Ksau Surangel Whipps, Glen Navarroza, Manuel Mahor, Jr. and Roxanne Parco. It’s
the first time in any Palau chess tournament that 5 women are participating in
an Open event where there are 16 contestants or about 1/3 of participants.
The
original plan for this event is the Bullet Chess Championship which has a time
control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment. Roberto, Paquito Suringa, Jr. and
Felix Oling, Jr., all of Palau Royal Resort, spent a lot of practice time in
this format. BUT 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FIRST TOURNEY OF 2016, IT WAS CHANGED TO
1 minute + 1 second increment format, thus the Lightning – the fastest in the
world. Paquito and Roberto were able to practice for just an hour in this
format, which is not enough.
The
change of venue, which was announced 2 days prior to the event, also affects
the availability of Suringa, Jr. and Oling, Jr. as they don’t have a ride to
the new venue. The old venue, the Surangel’s Construction office, is just a
2-minute walk from PRR. Joan Gemota, who likes blitz chess, is not comfortable
also with the lightning chess format. She is also expecting Bullet first before
Lightning.
At
Board 1 of the first round, Montel, Jr. is very much ahead in material when
their clock turns into 00. Cyril doesn’t like to accept a draw due to technical
problem and it was decided to let them play a new game since it’s a very short
time control. Cyril still prevails to begin his quest for a record 5th
straight Palau chess championship.
Prior
to the first round, Roberto announced some important rules of Lightning Chess:
Touch move rules is applied; the player must say the word “check” whenever
he/she is attacking his opponent king; an illegal move automatically cost a
player that game; in castling, the must touch the king first before the rook;
if he touch the rook first, he/she must move the rook instead of castling; it
is also advised not to used both hands in castling; the hand that a player is
using in making a move must be also the hand that he/she will use in pressing
the time clock.
After
8 rounds, Cyril topped the event and won the champion’s purse of $25.00. Rustum
Cabuso clinched the 2nd spot for $20.00 cash prize and Jeff
Balbalosa, who is doing the meticulous job of arranging the pairings while also
a participant, finished 3rd and won $15.00.
The
other 4th-16th finishers are 4. Manuel Mahor, Jr. 5.
Dennis Gonzales 6. Eugene Labarda 7. Arnolfo Inres 8. Baby Edna Mission 9.
Josef Karlo Moyet 10. Roberto Hernandez 11. Roxanne Parco 12. Angelil Sisior
13. Angie Parrado 14. Destiny Sisior 15. Glen Navarroza 16. Eric Ksau Surangel
Whipps.
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3821: 1. Qg6!! Fxg6 2.
Ne7++ Kh8 3. Ng6 mate.
This week’s puzzle No. 3822: White to move and mates in 3
(Solution next issue)
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 9
Volume 25
Issue 7
January 25, 2016
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- January 25, 2016
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013--January 25, 2016
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