(1168) 2006 PNCC TO START MARCH 19 (TBN-March 17-24, 2006)

VENUE HOST AND PARTICIPANT
                Gene Pastrana, right, is receiving his trophy as the Most Improved Player from Knights and Rooks Chess Club (Palau) Chairman Roberto Hernandez before the start of 2006 Palau National Chess Championship where Gene is hosting from March 19-August 08. He is also a participant in this event.
                                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



2006 PNCC TO START MARCH 19

HOSTED by Gene Pastrana, the 2006 Palau National Chess Championship will fire off on March 19 (Sunday) at Jean’s Boutique and Store just across the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Games will start at 1pm with some games to be played late in the afternoon because of varying job schedules of many participants.  There will be no Women’s or Junior Division as there were not enough women and junior players to participate here.

                The time control (using mechanical chess clocks) is 90 minutes for each player to finish the game. Writing chess notations in either English or Algebraic is mandatory. Roberto Hernandez is the Organizer, Chief Arbiter and also a participant, with Pastrana as his Deputy Arbiter.

                The champion of this event will become the first National Master of Palau.  He will become also the first player to participate outside Palau if he can afford the airfare and accommodation of such prestigious tournaments like Oceania Zonal Chess Championship, Asian Chess Federation tournaments and an automatic member of Palau team to any World Chess Olympiads.

                The succeeding National Championships’ champions will likewise be Palau’s next NM. This single round-robin event would become double round-robin depending on the number of participants.

                The possible participants and their national ratings are:

1.  Menandro Manuel                                                        2159
2.  Jose Omega                                                                     2157
3.  Bong Alipoon                                                                  2155
4.  Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr.                                                 2140
5.  Roberto Hernandez                                                       2134
6.  Jimmy Valenzuela                                                          2059
7.  Manuel Nedic                                                                 2020
8.  Ivan II Chess Computer                                                 1974
9.  Joel Azana                                                                       1944
10. Edwin Eti                                                                         1941
11. Jose Misael de Jesus                                                     1939
12. Eugenio Pastrana                                                          1938
13. Morton Sawaichi                                                           1913
14. Dennis Gonzales                                                            1911
15. Joeven delos Santos                                                      1892
16. Felix Lapitan                                                                    1886
17. Jess Toldoya                                                                    1883
18. Rodiante Balagso                                                           1881
19. Jess Gomez                                                                      1855
20. William Blasquino                                                           1812
21. Gerry Sermeno                                                               1810
22. Tutii Joe Chilton                                                              1771
23. Francis Temaungil                                                          1767
24. Flavin Andres                                                                  1720
25. Ernie Mijares                                                                   1712
26. Rogelio Menor                                                                1708
27. Em-R de Vera                                                                  1708
28. James dela Cruz                                                              1706
29. Lito Salas                                                                          1672
30. John Pastrana                                                                  1632

                There will be some Blitz Chess competition after the completion of this event’s regular games. The usual time control in Palau for blitz is 10 minutes (using mechanical clocks). While preparing for this event, players may gather at the venue to practice or play blitz chess contest like what happened on March 05, where a 5-player blitz chess contest was held with Pastrana and Hernandez winning it over blitz chess specialist Edwin Eti, Cyril Montel, Jr. and Jimmy Valenzuela, who will be playing his last tournament in Palau as he is leaving Palau for good. He might not finish this event if this National Chess Championship will last longer than he expected.

                Pastrana won his first ever chess title in Palau (in any time control) and is requesting the participants to support his hosting of the event buy purchasing drinks, snack, etc. at the store. If the players are more than 6, it will be held at the parking lot, very close to the main road.

                Playing outdoor chess is one way of promoting the game since 2003. The 2002 All-Filipino Chess Tournament and 2002 Open was played at Mindzenty Auditorium. The 2003 Open was held at Image Restaurant and Sports Bar where players can play billiards and dart in between games.

                The 2003 Age Group Chess Tournament was held at the parking lot of Galaxy Video Center, beside Palasia Hotel and the beginning of outdoor chess tournaments that drew the attention of kids.

It was also the start that Ivan II Chess Computer participated in the next events with its strength in H for Hard for adults and E for Easy for kids and A for Average in the Class B category.

                But because it’s National Championship, Ivan II will not be participating in this event.

Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9-10

            Volume 15

            Issue 11

            March 17-24, 2006