: NEW PALAU CHAMPION, NM-THE FASTEST EVER
Santiago, Jr. Tan aka Bobot Tan, became the fastest chess player ever to be Palau’s National Master by winning the 2017 PNCC by a hairline over defending champ Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. They both finished with 9 points in 12 games but Bobot won on tiebreak. Eric Ksau Whipps, right, is awarding him the trophy and certificate with me at left in the awarding ceremony held in Dec.19 at his residence. Bobot, thus, became a member of Palau Chess Team to 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. He’s not even one year working in Palau and won the 2017 Palau Rapid Chess Championship. ANOTHER CHESS TALENT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN PALAU!
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
AWARDINGS OF 2017 PNCC ---
Qualifying, Top 12, Women,
Junior and Reserves
AFTER the Palau Chess Federation Board Meeting on Monday, Dec. 18, it was decided to hold the awarding for the participants of 2017 PNCC the next day at Eric Whipps’ residence in Malakal.
In short notice, Angelo Salvadora was tasked to prepare the trophies for the Top 12 Division champion Bobot Tan, Women’s champion Angelica Parrado-Sisior and Junior champion Angelil Sisior.
He was also tasked to make the stickers for the medals which are in my possession. Medals will be given to Top 12 1st Runner-Up Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. (silver) and 2nd Runner-Up Tito Cabunagan (bronze); Women’s Division 1st Runner-Up Baby Edna Mission (silver), 2nd Runner-Up Jennifer Angeles (bronze); Junior Division’s 1st Runner-Up Reece Reklai (silver), 2nd Runner-Up Destiny Sisior (bronze); Reserves champion Wilson Barrameda (gold), 1st Runner-Up Neph Macasaet (silver) and 2nd Runner-Up Joel Gemota (bronze).
The awarding/gathering will start at 5:30 with the catered food for 40 persons supposed to come at 6:00pm but didn’t arrive yet before I left for work at 6:50pm. While it is still bright, I started to take photos of the attendees with great background of rock islands, boats and pristine paradise views found only in Palau.
When Angelo comes with the trophies and stickers, we realized that the 6 medals that I brought are not enough so I go back to PRR to get the others. As in the Board Meeting, we forgot to have a short prayer to be led by me before the start of the awarding. While arranging the stickers of the medals, Eric is signing the beautifully designed certificates of participation that states: CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION The Palau Chess Federation recognizes _______________ for participating in the 2017 Palau National Chess Championships (2017 PNCC Top 12 Division) with rating of ____ Chess tournament held on October 8-December 17, 2017 at Ernguul Park, Koror, Republic of Palau
(Signed) Eric Ksau Whipps PCF President/Delegate (12/19/17) with logo of PCF and FIDE at lower right.
Those were given to the present participants including the medals and trophies if the recipient is also have medal/trophy like Joel Gemota, Gonzalo, Bobot, Wilson Barrameda (who has a proxy), Bheng, Angie, Jennifer, Destiny, and Angelil.
Angelica Magno was the only absent in the Women’s Division while in the Junior, Reece, Nicholas Nehez (vacation in USA), and Gian Gabriel Claronino didn’t make it. Present in the junior are Aome Angeles, Michael and Rommel Gulla, Gian Paloma and the Sisior sisters. Absent in the Top 12 Division were Jeff Balbalosa, Leif Toribiong, Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. and Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr. (who thought that the awarding is on Wed., Dec. 20) and Tito Cabunagan (in Japan).
Jennifer also updated me in the PMA Chess in Schools Blitz Chess Tournament that has only 2 games left not being played yet. These 2 games have no bearing in the final standings of the event where Lancy Lazarus edged Reece Reklai for the championship by a mere half point! After losing to Lancy in the middle round, Reece won all his remaining games to keep on target for the title but Lancy won also his last remaining games to close the door for a Reece comeback.
Those last 2 games have been played on Thu. Dec. 21. Jennifer will update me about the final standings of the first blitz chess tourney of the first Chess in School in Palau that started in Aug. 30, 2017. Efforts will be made by PCF to convince other schools like Mindszenty High School to have Chess in School also. Palau has 1 FIDE Instructor, 6 National Instructors and 7 Developmental Instructors that can volunteer in teaching chess in schools.
Jennifer also asked me to be a lecturer again at PMA Chess in School sometime in Jan. 2018. My first lecture there was in Nov. 20, 2017 where every 16 students have a good time with the tactic of opposition and learning the dreaded Danish Gambit.
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3719: 1. Nc5+! Qxc5 or dxc5 2. Nxc7+ Qxc7 3. Qe4#
This week’s special Christmas puzzle No. 4328: Black to move- mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
($5.00 each will be given to the first 5 persons who can solve this)
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9-10
Volume 26
Issue 98
December 24, 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 -- December 25, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- December 25, 2017
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