THE GAME THAT STARTED IT ALL
It's
just one game (Garcia vs. Celiz) but the impact to the top 5 finishers
is immense. But it makes Palau Chess Federation players to learn more
from these experiences. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
THE CAUSE OF 2012 PNCC CONTROVERSY
I would like to express my
opinion about the cause of 2012 Palau National Chess Championship controversy…
It all started
on Nov. 17, 2012 between the game of CM Bernardo Garcia and Jose Celiz. Five
players are witnesses to the game – me, Menandro Manuel, Paquito Suringa, Jr.,
Jon Manuel Reyes and Baby Edna Mission.
During
the last dying seconds of that game, I’ve already noticed that the increment is
not working BUT… I’m not allowed, being the chief arbiter, to remind Celiz.
On
the last 5 seconds on his clock, when Celiz press his clock, it’s been
confirmed that the increment is really not working… and Celiz clock expired.
The
first thing that I said to Celiz is, “You lost by time forfeit.” By rule,
arbiter’s decision is final. Then Celiz complain about the increment that
didn’t work, in which I tried to give justice to it.
Garcia
and Celiz agreed to play another game and I said to Garcia, “Let’s see if
there’s time.” I said that because I don’t think that playing another game to
settle this is not possible because of the rate Celiz is playing. He played
only 4 games in 6 weeks and it looks like impossible for him to play 11 games,
including the replay, in the last 2 weeks. Me, Menandro and Paquito have played
11 games already. Garcia, Tito Cabunagan, Cyril Montel, Jr. and Gonzalo
Escapatoria have played 9, 8, 7, 6 games respectively.
After
searching the FIDE Laws of Chess, which is displayed/posted always at the
bulletin board, I found a solution to declare that game a draw which Garcia
couldn’t accept till now because Celiz COMPLAINED AFTER HIS CLOCK FELL.
If
Celiz stopped the clock when he noticed that the increment is not working, I
would have done something right away like adjusting the clock so that it will
have increment.
BUT
CELIZ FAILED TO COMPLAIN BEFORE HIS TIME EXPIRED. HE FAILED TO TAKE ACTION
WHILE THERE IS TIME SO HE AUTOMATICALLY LOST THAT GAME.
It
happened in 1994 between world champion Gary Kasparov and Judit Polgar in
Linares, Spain. Polgar lost that game when she failed to protest a touch move
violation by Kasparov.
THIS
IS AN ADVICE TO ALL –(IN THE FUTURE) –We don’t have yet an Appeals Committee
which can overturn the arbiter’s decision on point of fact or exercise of
discretion, but not on point of law.
Included in the agenda of our Annual General
Meeting on Feb. 10, 2013 is the creation of Appeals Committee to be composed of
Palau’s 3 National Arbiters –Roberto Hernandez, CM Bernardo Garcia and Dennis
Gonzales.
It’s late to protest after the game. Stop the
clock and protest right away. WE WILL APPLY THIS RULE TO ALL THE PROCEEDING
TOURNAMENTS.
Garcia
said that if that half point will have a big impact to the result of the
standings, he will continue to protest about it. Things become more complicated
when Celiz played 6 games on the 7th week, which is another
violation of a FIDE rule – a maximum of 2 games a day is allowed if the time
control is standard time.
Celiz
played 3 games on Saturday, Nov. 24 and 3 games on Nov. 25 including his 2nd
game against Cyril that lasted until 11:00 pm!
On
the next tournaments, we will specify a minimum number of games played each
week or each couple of weeks to assure that a player will not have much game
remaining to play.
Another
violation was committed when Celiz played against his co-employee Cabunagan
twice NOT in the official venue but in their room with no witnesses. We are
lucky to have a very good playing area and we should take advantage of this.
Besides, Celiz and Cabunagan are off on Saturday and Sunday AND THE TOURNAMENT
SITE IS JUST 300 METERS AWAY FROM THEIR PLACE.
There
is another rule in FIDE that participants of the same federation must NOT play
against each other on the last 3 rounds. It is said “federation and not
company”, which is not applied in this case. Since our next tournaments are
local events, we will apply this rule that players of the same company must
play in the first 3 rounds and not in the last 3 rounds.
Cabunagan
also played one game against Suringa in his room and without witnesses also. It
was allowed by the arbiter because Cabunagan is going off island for 15 days.
But when his trip was cancelled because of Typhoon Bopha, they should replay
that game in the official venue.
The
only thing going against the games between Celiz and Cabunagan is the venue.
Now that it became an issue, we must include in our local rule the consequence
in playing games in non-sanctioned venue.
It
is proper not to accept the results of their games and have them played anew at
the official venue. They replayed their 2 games NOT in the official venue but
in the presence of Cyril and Roberto. BUT… because Typhoon Bopha is starting to
lash Palau at about 6:00 pm that Sunday, Dec. 02, 2012, Cyril and Roberto left
the place with their 1st game still in the middle game.
During
that time, all other games are completed and it was possible to affect the
final standings with their replayed games.
WITHOUT
MAKING ACCUSATION OR INSINUATION, AS EVERYBODY SEE, TITO CAME FIRST AND CELIZ
ENDED UP 3RD OUT OF NOWHERE!
Those
actions/violations of Celiz trigger the suspicion of Garcia of game fixing.
That’s why he suggested having a playoff so that those players who played more
games and got some good results after 7 weeks will play in the playoffs on
Saturday (semifinal) and finals on Sunday.
Celiz,
being able to play only 10 games will be booted out in favor of Cyril, who
played 11 games and always at the tournament site every weekend.
Where
is Celiz during the opening day and the next 10 playing days that he played
only 4 games in 6 weeks? And now he wants to play as many games as he can in
the last 2 weeks of the event?
Everybody
is adjusting TO HIM instead of HIM adjusting to everybody.
With
chance now for at least a top 4 finish, he is present on the last day hoping to
win by default if his last round opponent will not show up.
This
is what GM Eugene Torre is saying – that the absent player loses by default and
their game will not be rated. WHAT ABOUT
IF BOTH PLAYERS ARE PRESENT?
Suringa’s
work is finished at 2:00 pm on Sunday, Dec. 16 and he waited for Celiz for 1
hour for their 2nd game. He played 2 practice games with some
present players (Class B) while waiting also for the last 2 official games of
Cyril and Escapatoria. He still has one game left vs. Cyril.
Their
game on Sat. Nov. 15 was called off because Suringa is very busy cooking food
for PRR Christmas party that night. Cyril is also going to their Christmas
party.
When
Celiz come, it’s now time for Suringa to go to a place where he has the key to
open it. Now it’s Celiz’ turn to wait.
DOES
HE THINK THAT EVEN ON THE LAST DAY, PLAYERS WILL ADJUST TO HIM? EVEN ON BUSY
CHRISTMAS SEASON?
It’s
just right to put + - or - /- to Celiz’
game vs. Suringa because it’s not default… it is un-played game. GAMES NOT
ACTUALLY PLAYED SHOULD NOT BE RATED AND APPROPRIATELY RECORDED AS +/- or -/-
(double forfeit). I’M VERY SURE OF THIS.
They were not
able to play it because Suringa and Cyril have waited for him in the 12 playing
days of the event. Maybe it’s better to have + - in favor of Suringa.
In
the 2011 Rapid Chess tournament at PRR, Celiz agreed to play vs. Mohammad Manik
Hossain at 11:00 am Sunday. Manik arrived at 11:30. He has to go back to Airai,
which is 10 kilometers away, for work at 3:00 pm.
Celiz
and Cabunagan arrived at 1:30 pm when Manik is about to leave for work. I
declared that game a default loss to Celiz. They agreed to play their 2nd
game on next Sunday at 11:00 am again.
Celiz
and Cabunagan came at 1:30 pm again!
They
are staying at a place that is 300 meters from PRR while Manik is 10 kilometers
away and had to spent money for gas in going to the tournament site. WHAT IS
WRONG WITH YOU, CELIZ?
I
declared that 2nd game another default loss to Celiz.
Manik
is humble enough to offer a replay of their 2 games if Celiz will pay $10.00
for the gas that he spent in going to PRR twice.
Being
a stingy person as he is, (in my opinion), Celiz refused the offer. He hasn’t
paid yet his $10.00 registration fee in the 2011 Palau National Chess
Championship, the $20.00 registration fee for 2011 Rapid Chess tournament and
the recently concluded 2012 Palau National Chess Championship of another
$10.00.
During
the meeting on Dec. 9, 2012, he promised to pay for 2011 and 2012 PNCC but
until now, it’s still a promise.
Anyway,
the cross-table was submitted already by Jamie Kenmure with the final
standings: 1. Tito Cabunagan 2. Roberto Hernandez 3. Jose Celiz 4. Cyril Tomas
Montel, Jr. 5. CM Bernardo Garcia 6. Menandro Manuel 7. Paquito Suringa, Jr. 8.
Gonzalo Escapatoria.
Garcia
is still unsatisfied with the final standings. That half point really affected
this event. In his opinion, if Tito and the rest had played a playoff and Tito
still emerges as champion, then he really deserves it. With many irregularities
that clouded this PNCC, the final standing is still in doubt.
There
is a good point to Garcia’s suggestion of a playoff. We agreed in the meeting
on Dec. 9 that we will proceed and finish the tournament according to its
original format, but Garcia’s line of “Why you will continue to cross the wrong
path when you are warned that it’s the wrong way?”
THE
RIGHT WAY HAS BEEN FOUND. WILL YOU CONTINUE IN GOING THE WRONG WAY?
But
Bernard’s suggestion of a playoff is not proper regardless of the situation.
YOU DON’T CHANGE HORSES AT MIDDLE OF STREAM! If that is to be effected, then we
need to cancel all results and start all over again. Had that taken place, even
Menandro who had 7 losses would have a chance of winning the championship –
and, I believe, if given that new lease of life, he will try with all his might
to be the victor.
With
only 8 players in Class A, there’s no logic of trimming it down to half and
then have a semi-final and final match. If that is so, we better just draw
numbers and start with quarterfinal matches. A double round-robin is already a
credible format.
WE
WILL ENSURE THAT THOSE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS LAST YEAR WILL NOT BE REPEATED.
I
hope these incidents will make Palau chess players better and stronger to the
next challenges ahead. I also hope that this will also lead us to a closer
camaraderie and to enjoy the game of chess the right way!
GOOD
DAY TO EVERYBODY AND PLEASE ATTEND OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ON FEB. 10, 2013
AT WAVES RESTAURANT OF PALAU ROYAL RESORT FROM 2-5 PM.
PRIZES
AND CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION WILL BE GIVEN.
PLEASE
BRING YOUR LAPTOP BECAUSE MENANDRO MANUEL AND JAMIE KENMURE WILL “ATTEND”
THROUGH SKYPE OR FACEBOOK.
Best regards,
Roberto
Source: History of Chess In Palau
2012 Palau National Chess Championship
October 13- December 16, 2012
Conference Room
Palau Royal Resort
Koror City, Republic of Palau 96940
