(1613) PHOTOS OF FINAL ROUND OF 2018 P.N.C.C. (Dec. 23, 2018 at Ernguul Park)

   PHOTOS OF FINAL ROUND OF
 2018 Palau National Chess Championship
                       Dec. 23, 2018
                    at Ernguul Park

 At the cellar is Morton Sawaichi, who has yet to score a point and half point at least for a draw to have his initial rating.

Samuel Palingcod, right,  and Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. had a draw.

The latest Junior champion Gian Gabriel Claronino, right, had lost only 1 game (vs. Aome Angeles) and clinched the junior division in a style--sweeping the other 3 participants. They have to do a double round-robin as there are only 5 players that made it because of busy Christmas season.

Charley Patris, right, won over Reece Reklai, left. Maybe Charley will have an increase in his 1274 FIDE Rating as he scored 3 points in this event.

Despite the loss in the final round to Tito Cabunagan, right, Neph Macasaet finished the tourney with 4 points. That might be enough to improve his 1555 rating.

Morton Sawaichi finally scored a whole point by mating Glen Navarroza, right.

My game with Bobot Tan, left, is an exciting one heading for a draw but Bobot captured the b7 pawn that allowed me to force the exchange of queens with me having a passed f pawn that clinches the 3rd spot (6 points). l won my first round game over Jello, lost the next 3 to Cyril, Jun Mahor and Dennis but won the last 5 over Morton, Neph, Charley, Pax and Bobot. It's almost the same story in the 2002 All-Filipino Chess Tournament in June 09, 2002 (the first ever chess tournament in Palau) where I won my last 4 games (against Lemuel Bacor, Mike Miguel, Jr., Consul General Julius Torres and Vincent Vergara) to clinched 3rd runner-up.

The last game of the day is another draw between Jeff Balbalosa, right and Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. (both are my teammates in the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaihan) in an endgame of bishop of the same color. 

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- December 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 -- December 26, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- December 26, 2018