(1566) MUSIC AND ME-328 (July 26, 2018) $70.00 TIP FROM A JAPANESE FAMILY AND PALAUAN BIRTHDAY CELEBRANT

$70.00 TIP FROM A

JAPANESE FAMILY and

Palauan Birthday Celebrant

This Japanese family enjoyed the food and music at the Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort and proceed at the Breeze Bar and enjoyed more Japanese and international music with me for another 2 hours. The lady at left gave me an additional $20.00 tip after I've got $40.00 from them at Waves Restaurant. Their mom, enjoyed also the music and I made her cry with my rendition of old Japanese and American songs. She hugged me tightly when these photos were taken.

In July 25, 2018, while I was playing piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, I didn't know that the family at the right hand corner of the restaurant are Japanese. Then, a Japanese girl is watching me play. To test her nationality, I played the Sukiyaki song and she sings with me to the lyrics to the amazement of her father. Only then that I realized that they are Japanese. I gave the girl my card and she showed it to her family members. I can see some of them take a very good look at the card because it has my name written in Russian, English and Japanese.

I told this Japanese family that I've been to Japan in April 04-Sept. 28, 1982 in Hayashida Hotel at Kagoshima City. Because of strong internet connection now in Palau since Dec. 7, 2017, they were able to search the Hayashida Hotel and found out that it's not existing anymore. They also search the song "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar, whom I said to them that he always sing the original version of "Anak" wherever he goes as the original is always the best. I mentioned to them that it was recorded in many languages like Japanese, Italian, English, Korean, etc. They search again the "Anak" and learned the meaning of its lyrics in Japanese. They requested me to sing it in Tagalog and I sang it with expression that made their mother cry.

A boy from the Japanese family looked at my Japanese song book and he requested "Roppongi Rarabai" and I asked him if he can sing it. And he did! It's my first time to hear a Japanese singing that song. The chorus of the song is so good that I can play with expression on that part.

There is a Palauan birthday celebrant close to their table and the staff sang Happy Birthday To You song with me playing the piano enthusiastically and at the end of that song, I played the upbeat Japanese song "Chako No Kaigan Monogatari".

Later, a Palauan guy gave me $10.00 tips all in 1 dollar bill.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 03, 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 -- September 03, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- September 03, 2018

(493) CHESS AND MUSIC (TBN-June 22-28, 2007)

IN THEIR own way, chess and music are considered art in different perspective.

If combined together, a good harmony to the mind and soul could develop.

What would you feel if you are playing chess against the top player of Palau while your son is piano music with another boy playing guitar?

That's what happened last Sunday, Father's Day, June 17 at Jean's Boutique and Store.


There is no ongoing at the time and National Master Menandro 'Boy' Manuel is playing blitz chess with many times venue host Gene Pastrana.

During Pastrana's son (Ken) music session, a boy with guitar (Jielton Cabierte), visited Ken and they jammed together some easy songs with Palau's 4th ranked player Roberto Hernandez, who is now the resident musician at Palau Royal Resort (PRR).

The trio's music somehow inspired the older Pastrana as he dominated Manuel in their games.

He even managed to draw a seemingly lost position by perpetual check.

At some point, the two are humming with the group when they played popular tunes like Jamaica Farewell, Leaving On A Jetplane, Jambalaya, Achy Breaky Heart, Green Green Grass of Home, Cotton Fields, Tom Dooley, Tiny Bubbles, the Mexican song La Cucaracha, Spanish song Rancho Grande and 2 of the most popular Filipino songs in Palau "Anak" (Son) and "Kumusta Ka" (How Are You).

Cabierte's father is playing guitar with the Sacred Heart Catholic church's choir.

He taught his son how to play guitar and he's done a good job as Hernandez saw great potential from Jielton, who participated in 3 chess tournaments last year.

He finished 2nd runner-up to Ken in those 3 outings and won $50.00 in the inaugural Ambassador Marino Cup Rapid Chess tournament held last year (June 25, July 02, July 09, 2006).

The Philippine Ambassador Ramoncito Marino donated $1,000.00 prize pot to that tourney which was divided into 4 divisions: rated, beginners, juniors and women.

Hernandez and Jose Omega won the rated division while Vincent Vergara of Moylan's Insurance topped the beginner's section.

Ken emerged as the only unbeaten player of the tilt and pocketed $75.00 while Hernandez' wife Flor, subdued Ms. Juvy Bulan for the title in a cliffhanger tiebreak game.

In Hernandez' 2 weeks stay at PRR's Dormitory 1, he discovered some good chess players with potential to be a rated player.

One of them is Nino Flores, who almost defeated Hernandez in their first 2 games after the former missed endgame tactics.

Arnel Pama is seriously considering a chess career and Mr. Jaime Guevarra is surely one of the more experienced who can make it if he will take the game seriously.

This year's Ambassador Marino Cup will go international as 2 NM from Philippines and USA confirmed their participation in the event to be held from August 30-Septermber 03, 2007.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 13
Volume 17
June 22-28, 2007