(1482) TITO QUALIFIED TO BATUMI AS PLAYER; THE LEAST TO BE TEAM CAPTAIN (TBN-Feb. 26, 2018)

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CEREMONIAL FIRST MOVE OF 2018 PALAU BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

          The mother of my piano/chess student, did the ceremonial first move of 2018 PBCC with another Jennifer (Angeles) to start the fun and enjoyable first tourney of the year. 24 players participated with Bobot Tan adding another feather in his cap, followed by Jun Mahor and Rustum Cabuso. Angie, as usual, is top woman player while newcomer Michael Gulla upended reigning Palau junior champion Angelil Sisior for his first chess medal in Palau.

                                                                                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

  TITO QUALIFIED TO BATUMI AS PLAYER;

      THE LEAST TO BE TEAM CAPTAIN

Tito Cabunagan was in Japan during the final round of 2017 Palau National Chess Championship. He made it to the Top 4 in this qualifying tilt for the composition of Open Team to the 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. Thus, he qualified as a player with Board 1 as the best position for him. He has played vs. GMs like Eugene Torre and Darwin Laylo in 2015 Guam International tourney where he defeated FIDE Master Ignatius Leong.

                He played vs. good international players in the DATMO Malaysian Open together with AFM Jeff Balbalosa and last year with WNM/DI Angelica Parrado in the Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in New Zealand.

                That’s why when he volunteered to be the Team Captain of Open Team to Georgia so that Angelo Salvadora  would be included in the team, he is breaking the essence of having the 2017 PNCC the qualifying event for PLAYERS ONLY. If you would volunteer to be team captain, you must have at least one of the criteria of having played in the Olympiad to have a “feel” of what’s going on because you will be playing against the best in the world.

                When I and Tito represented Palau in the 2010 WCO in Khanty-Masiysk, Russia, we were not able to play because we are short of one player to be allowed to play which means, we haven’t played a single Olympiad game. In 2012 WCO in Turkey, I was able to play 11 straight games at Board 1 there because we don’t have a reserve player. In 2014 WCO in Norway, at Board 1 again, I played 9 games and in the 2016 WCO in Baku, Azerbaijan, 9 games as well and Team Captain. Palau finished 163^rd being seeded 163^rd—the best placed finished by Palau team so far. We are 168th in 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

                Overall games that I played in Olympiads is 29 while next to me as one of the most qualified to be a team captain is National Instructors (NI) Jeff and Dennis Gonales who have 18 each, NI Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. has 9 and Developmental Instructor (DI) Paquito Suringa, Jr. has 9 as well. Woman DIs Parrado, Baby Edna Mission and Gladys Anne Paloma also have 9 games played each in Olympiad. NI Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps has been Women’s Team Captain in 2014. Tito got ZERO which makes him the least choice to be team captain of any Palau team.

                Whatever reason(s) Tito is volunteering as Team Captain of the Open Team, whether it’s personal vendetta, mutiny, enviousness and the likes are not good for unity within PCF.

                I have the highest title among Palau players—FIDE Instructor (FI) which means I can teach chess to any of 189-member countries of FIDE unlike the rest that can teach chess only in Palau. I have 8 international chess students, 6 ukulele, 6 piano and 3 guitar students.

                BOBOT, JUN, RUSTUM, ANGIE, MICHAEL GULLA-- WINNERS OF 2018 PALAU BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP...

          24 players (17 of them rated) participated in 2018 PBCC held on Feb. 18 at Ernguul Park. The event started with a ceremonial first move between Jennifer Tubtub Angeles and the mother of my piano/chess student .

          After 9 rounds of fun and competitive blitz chess, Bobot Tan emerged as champion with undefeated slate of 9 straight victories, followed by Manuel Mahor and Rustum Cabuso. They received gold, silver and bronze medal respectively.

          Angie Sisior won the women's best scorer and Michael Adette Gulla was the surprising winner among junior players. They received a gold medal each. He scored the shortest victory in 7 moves over Gladys Anne Francisco Paloma. Cyril Tomas Almitante-Montel is 4th followed by Angie, Me, Angel Salvadora, Paquito Suringa Jr. and Michael Gulla are 6th-9th spot.

          Bheng Codinera Mendoza is 10th and the come-backing Mohammad Manik Hossein finished 11th. Gian Gabriel Claronino is 12th while my chess/guitar student Angelica Morales Magno is 13th. Newcomer Pedro Parmisano, Angelil Sisior, him, Gladys, Kyarii Sisior and Jennifer were tied at 14th-19th spots respectively. 

          At 20th is Aome Angeles followed by Rommel Gulla. Wilson Barrameda left after scoring 2 pts. His remaining games were all default losses, so did to Elizalde Madriñan, 24th place. Gian Paloma is 23rd. CONGRATS TO ALL!!!

          Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3799: 1. Qh8+!! Kxh8 2. Nxf7++ Kg8 3. Nh6#

          This week’s puzzle No. 3801: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9-10

               Volume 26

               Issue 14

               February 26, 2018

              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 -- February 26, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau

              By Roberto Hernandez

              June 09, 2002 -- February 26, 2018