(1377) 5/5 BY ROBERTO AFTER 5 ROUNDS OF 2017 PBCC (TBN-May 08, 2017)

OLD PALAUAN GUY WATCHING 2017 PBCC ROUND 1-5

                    Prior to the start of 2017 PBCC, an old Palauan guy approached me and watched the 5 rounds of play feeling the aura of speed chess. He always calls me “Hernando” instead of Hernandez. I always include him in the photos before the start of every round for chess promotion to Palauan—old or young. L-R: Me, Jun, Tito, Angelo, Palauan, Cyril, Angel, Bheng and Joan.

                                                      (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

            5 OUT OF 5 BY ROBERTO 

     AFTER 5 ROUNDS OF 2017 P.B.C.C.  

It’s déjà vu again for me in this 2017 Palau Blitz Chess Championship held at Ernguul Park (formerly Bethlehem Park) that after 5 rounds, I won all of my games against Angelo Salvadora, Tito Cabunagan, Angelica Magno, Baby Edna Mission and Manuel Mahor, Jr.

                The 18-player line-up didn’t happen with only 10 players available and while waiting for Neph Macasaet to confirm, the 10 numbers were drawn as follows: 1. Hernandez, Roberto 2. Cabunagan, Tito 3. Magno, Angelica 4. Mission, Baby Edna 5. Mahor, Jr., Manuel 6. Cabuso, Rustum 7. Montel, Jr., Cyril Tomas 8. Gemota, Joan 9. Parrado, Angelica and 10. Salvadora, Angelo.

                When Neph confirmed he’s not available, I made the games chart for round-robin of 10 players. Cyril suggested to me to use the Swiss Perfect to determine the pairings from round 1-10. In doing so, the first 2 rounds went smooth but I have to do the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th round manually.

                Some notable quotes of rounds 1-5: Magno and Gemota drew their first round match, which proved to be their only score in 5 games; Cabuso lost to Mahor but upset Cyril; Tito, Cyril and Cabuso won 4 games each overall to trail me by a point; Salvadora lost 4 straight before winning his 5^th round game vs. Magno; Parrado scored 3 points, Mahor-2.

                In the 2015 PBCC, me and Rustum scored 5 straight and met in the 6^th round where I committed an illegal move being ahead in material/position but only got 16 seconds left in my clock. That loss proves crucial as I lost also to Tito and Bernard Garcia and won over Robert Sora to settle for 3^rd with $40.00 cash prize and a trophy.

                This Sunday, May 7, I will play Rustum again in the 6^th round, Cyril in the 7^th, Joan in the penultimate round and Angie in the final (9^th) round. Awarding to the top 3 finishers of this event will follow suit after the final round, to be followed by PCF Board Meeting with Eric Ksau Whipps, Cyril, Dennis, me, Rustum, Angie and Angelo.

                                                                        STANDINGS AFTER 5 ROUNDS:

                                                                             Rating  Score      Berg.    Wins         

1.      Hernandez, Roberto                                1776       5              8.50        5

2-4   Cabuso, Rustum                                      1679       4              8.50        4

         Cabunagan, Tito                                      1798       4              5.50        4

         Montel, Jr., Cyril Tomas                          1806       4              4.50        4

5.      Parrado, Angelica                                   1590       3              3.50        3

6.      Mahor, Jr., Manuel                                  1439      2              4.50        2

7-8   Mission, Baby Edna                                1498       1              0.50        1

         Salvadora, Angelo                                  1643       1              0.50        1

9-10 Magno, Angelica                                     1051       0.5           0.25        0

         Gemota, Joan                                          1427      0.5           0.25        0   

                 

                Instead of International Arbiter (IA) and Deputy President of Asian Chess Federation Toti Abundo, the Arbiters Seminar will be conducted by IA Jamie Kenmure of Australia. He is Palau’s Rating Officer since 2009 and Team Captain of Palau Chess Team in the 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Chess Olympiads in Russia, Turkey and Norway consecutively.

                The registration fee, that’s initially peg at $50.00, was changed to 20 euros ($30.00), then to $20.00 but still not enough to 20 participants maximum attendance. It is now free but the attendees must be paid with his/her $20.00 membership fee to PCF for one year.

                The confirmed Seminars participants are me, Angie, Cyril, Dennis, Angelo, Rustum, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Neph Macasaet, Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr., Bheng, Gladys Anne Paloma, Joan Gemota and Eugene Labarda. The dates are May 14 (Sun)3-6pm; May 15, 16, 17, 18-6-9pm at Mason’s Hardware.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 4410: 1. …Qf2+!! 2. Rxf2 gxf2 3. Kh1 or Kf1 Ng3#

                This week’s puzzle No. 4411: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              Pages 9-10

              Volume 26

              Issue 34

              May 08, 2017

             Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

             The Beginning of Chess in Palau

             By Roberto Hernandez

             Soon to be published as a book

             Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

             http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

             April 25, 2013-- May 08, 2017

             The History of Chess in Palau

             By Roberto Hernandez

             June 09, 2002 -- May 08, 2017