(1466) MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 19, 2017) PRACTICING WITH MIKE AUNOR & BAND IN THE NOISY PRR ENGINE ROOM

MIKE AUNOR AND ME AT THE FINALS OF D' VOICE
     Multi-talented musician Mike "Wolf" Aunor sits beside me as fellow judge during the final day of D' Voice Palau in early 2015. Another judge was the late Ariel Vingcoy, who passed away 2 years ago due to multiple illness. Me, Mike and 3 other members of a band performed at the 2012 New Year's Eve Countdown at Palau Royal Resort's Waves Restaurant.
                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


    PRACTICING WITH MIKE AUNOR
      AND 3 OTHER BAND MEMBERS
   IN THE NOISY PRR ENGINE ROOM 

ONE week before the 2012 New Year's Eve Countdown at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, a 4-member band was hired by PRR to performed there. 

Usually, I used to practiced with the performers without being paid because I'm being paid by monthly.

But this is a challenging group that includes Mike "Wolf" Aunor, former graphics designer of Tia Belau Newspaper, where I am writing Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez for more than 15 years now. 

We practiced every day inside the PRR engine room where it is very noisy. Before playing at 6 pm

(Ariel Vingcoy, middle, is also a judge with me in the Blind Audition of D' Voice Palau)



at Waves Restaurant, I will practice with the band first for more than an hour.

There's a lady singer, a bass guitarist and a drummer, who used a wooden beat box because there is no available drum set at that time. Mike is playing the lead guitar.

I remember Mike asked me if I know the Japanese song "For You". I said yes and he gets the bass guitar, the lady singer sang it and presto! Mike's 'itchiness' of playing bass guitar fulfilled his dream of finding a person that can play that song in piano/keyboard.

Eventually, it was sang by the lady singer during our performance where a real drums were used for better quality of live music sounds.

The lady singer sang also one Chinese song.



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 --January 01, 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 -- January 01, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- January 01, 2018


    

(1302) MAHOR DEALT ALCID HIS 1ST LOSS (TBN-Nov. 28, 2016)

MARRIAGE EFFECT?

                    Many chess players including the highest ever woman FIDE rated player Judit Polgar, somehow slowdown their progress when getting married. This happens to Allan Alcid, middle, in his game against Manuel Mahor, Jr., right, after his marriage to Aileen on Nov. 13, 2016. Alcid blundered away his rook to lose for the first time.                               (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

      MAHOR DEALT ALCID HIS 1st LOSS

 

FOUR crucial games were played in the 2^nd round of the Top 10 Division of 2016 Palau National Chess Championship held on Sunday, Nov. 20 at Bethlehem Park. The game between Paquito Suringa, Jr. and Allan Alcid was played already in Oct. 19, 2016 (a draw).

                My opponent in the 2^nd round is Tito Cabunagan, who pressed his clock already and I am 8 minutes late after submitting the 717^th issue of Chess Mate at Tia Belau Newspaper’s office. My music colleague Ariel Vincoy ride with me as he can’t get a taxi because it’s Sunday at that day.

                After taking photos of the 2^nd round pairings, I replied with Tito’s 1. c4 with e5 – English Opening, in which Tito played passively on the 4^th and 8^th move with Qc2 and Be3 respectively that allows me to seize the initiative very early. The game could have ended in just 23 moves if I found the more forceful queen capture and the knight forking the king, rook and bishop. On the 6^th move, Tito wrote already his move (a3) before making a move, which is a violation. I complained about this violation to the arbiter in our 11^th and final round game against Anthony Drayton, Board 1 player of Guyana in 2014 WCO in Norway. The Arbiter said to him, “If you erase your move, that’s cheating.”

                Tito did it again on the 15^th move and in the 25^th move, he wrote already the Q (Queen) before making his 25^th move (Qd1). I remind him also that his 23^rd move RxB is English, not Algebraic—Rxg1.

                Instead, the game lasted 24 moves longer with me prevailing after 47 moves. Next to our table is the top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr.’s game vs. 4^th seed Jeff Balbalosa, which lasted the longest of the day with Cyril clinging to his exchange advantage and when he sacrificed the rook for a pawn, Jeff resigned in 61^st move after seeing the a pawn being promoted with the knight unable to prevent it.

                In the other game, Rustum Cabuso scored his first win by drubbing Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr. in 50 moves of another English Opening while Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr. and lone woman in the division Angelica Parrado-Sisior halved the point after 38 moves of Dutch Defense.

                Two games were arranged to be played at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1 between Mahor and Alcid and Parrado-Sisior vs. Suringa, Jr. I have prepared their chess materials to be used but asked Alcid to borrow one clock from Jeff.

                After taking photos of them, I proceed to Waves Restaurant to play music from 7-9pm. After setting the new keyboard at Breeze Bar for another 2 hours of keyboard music, I check the games. Pax easily beat Angie while Allan and Jun are still in the endgame with Jun having a rook and a king against Allan’s king and 2 pawns. Allan blundered away his rook on the 48^th move and on the brink of an inevitable mate on the 60^th move when he resigned. Thus, the 2016 PNCC is now more exciting with me, undefeated Cyril and almost everybody else still has a chance to be champion, and an automatic qualification to the 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia.

                Another special game was held at Jeff’s place on Fri. Nov. 25 against Alcid, who solidify his hold of 1^st place after nipping Jeff in 49 moves of yet another English Opening.

                CM Joselito Marcos updated my Mega Database 2013 to the latest Mega Database 2016 during the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan from Sept. 01-14, 2016. Although it took more than 2 hours to upload it, the waiting is worth it. On his way to going back to his suite, we said goodbye and goodnight at the door for 45 minutes!

                We are amazed at ourselves that we talked that long in saying goodbyes. Since I first met Joselito in 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Gold Coast Australia, I found him very intelligent in any subject that we talked about except music, the only field that I am more knowledgeable than him. More so if the conversation is about chess. He suggested before the start of 2016 PNCC that we hold this PNCC a ‘themed’ tournament. Meaning, using only one defense (Sicilian) to all the games that will be played including the qualifying because he noticed the little or lack of knowledge of many (about 95%),  Palau chess players about chess opening.

                I used the Mega Database 2016 to research all variations of Sicilian Defense since the year 1475 and found out that Sicilian Defense was used in 1,324,616 games out of 6,463,901 games recorded in Mega Database 2016! It’s really the most popular defense in chess.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 9 by Joselito Marcos: 1. Qa3 Kf5 2. Qa7 Qf4 3. Qf2# If 2. …Ke6 3. Qd7# and if 2. …Kg6 3. Qh7#. (Published in Philippine Star –Aug. 1994)

                This week’s puzzle No. 10 by Joselito Marcos: White to move and mates in 3

($3.00 reward for each of the first 5 persons who can solve this puzzle)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9-10

             Volume 25

             Issue 95

             November 28, 2016

            Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

            The Beginning of Chess in Palau

            By Roberto Hernandez

            Soon to be published as a book

           Memoirs of a Chess Amateur

           My Most Memorable Games and Compositions

           By CM Joselito Marcos

           Pages 429

           Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

           Tia Belau Newspaper

           March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

           http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

           April 25, 2013 -- November 28, 2016

          The History of Chess in Palau

          By Roberto Hernandez

          June 09, 2002 -- November 28, 2016   

(973) MUSIC AND ME (June 04, 2015) D' VOICE PALAU (One of the Judges in the Blind Audition)

LONG TIME IN PALAU, TOO
     Ariel Vingcoy has been to Palau a few years more than Roberto Hernandez. The two was selected by the TFCP elected officials to adjudge the Blind Audition of their fund raising program on Nov. 16, 2014 at Sunset Park. Before the start of the Blind Audition, they performed some dancing numbers to pump up the waiting crowd. There are some dancing even to the tune of Palauan song "TNT" sung by Roberto.

                    D' VOICE PALAU
   (One of the Judges in the Blind Audition)

For being one of the elected Board Members of The Filipino Community in Palau (TFCP), one way of sharing my talent in music is agreeing to be one of the judges in the Blind Audition of the first D’ Voice Palau to be held on Opening day of 2014 Palau National Chess Championship on Nov. 16, 2014.

I have played already my first round game against co-employee Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. 3 days prior to the opening day so that I can assist to the many needs of players (more than 40 of them).

At past 3pm, Palau erstwhile top player for 5 years Menandro Manuel asked me if we can play our game since he is leaving Palau after a 2-month job stint (Oct.-Dec. 2014).

Although I might be late for the Blind Audition, we played our 2nd round game on that day. I won in 32 moves and immediately proceed to Palau Royal Resort to have dinner and proceed to Sunset Park for the 1st round of the Blind Audition of D' Voice Palau.

I met a colleague there, Ariel Vingcoy, and we performed on the stage with him using the place's keyboard. We only have one mike and we alternately sing some upbeat songs, mostly reggae.

When I notice that there are some Palauans in the crowd, I sang "TNT", the Palauan version of the Hawaiian song "Baby Blue" in reggae beat.

Like any other first time occasion, the blind audition didn't go smoothly at first. Some contestants didn't have a CD of their song to be performed. One guy has a guitar, one even have the guts to ask us to accompany him with a keyboard while he is singing. Maybe, not knowing that we are judges of the event.

Mike Aunor, left, had played with Roberto Hernandez, right, in the 2010 New Year's Eve Countdown at Palau Royal Resort. Aunor is also one of the judges in the final day of D' Voice Palau.
                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

 

(789) MUSIC AND ME (June 12, 2014) OUTSTANDING OFW IN PALAU (Part 3)

FIRST OUTSTANDING OFW CERTIFICATE FOR FLOR
     Roberto Hernandez, right, receiving the Outstanding OFW certificate of his wife --Ma. Florida Hernandez because she doesn't like to climb up the stage. It's her first award for being in Palau for 19 years. Roberto is 22 years in Palau and got his certificate almost an hour in between.
                         (Photo by Roberto Hernandez --Taken by Patrick)

 

This time, Tito Cabunagan is at left, Aga David, the energetic and newly elected The Community in Palau President, at middle, and Roberto Hernandez receiving his 3rd certificate.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez  -- Taken by Patrick)

OUTSTANDING OFW IN PALAU

(Part 3)

On the 111th Independence Day Celebration of the Philippines in Palau, Roberto Hernandez received a certificate, medal and acknowledgement in the field of music together with other deserving Outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers.

A week later, he flew to Australia to represent Palau in the 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship with the Ambassador Ramoncito Marino giving Roberto some recommendations to get some discounts at Philippine Airines which proved to be useless as Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker bought Hernandez' tickets (Manila-Sydney) more cheaper than what PAL is giving.

Two days before the closing of Philippine Embassy in Palau in July 31, 2012, more certificates for Outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers were given. Amante Caballero was one of the chosen one for being in Palau for 19 years and not having a single vacation during that period.

The sad part is that Amante didn't get his monthly pension (SSS) because he didn't reach the age of 60 while still working in Palau to be eligible for pension. But he did get a lump sum.

The 116th Philippine Independence Gala Dinner was held held at Palasia Hotel with Roberto playing old and traditional Filipino songs during the dinner of selected guests including Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, the Honorary Consul of the Philippines and newly elected President of Palau Chess Federation.

Certificates were given to those who has been to Palau for at least 20 years. The longest staying worker is a guy who's been to Palau for 43 years. Their names and photos were flashed at the screen together with their current and former employers and their years of stay in Palau.

Two weeks after that, 300 certificates were given to other Filipino workers that stayed in Palau for at least 15 years. Roberto Hernandez' wife Flor was one of the recipient but she doesn't like to come up to the stage when her name was called because she is shy. Roberto took it while it's raining very hard. He set up the keyboard there at 7:30 am before attending the Sunday Service of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ in the 4th Watch (Palau Locale).

While waiting for their certificates, the awardees are listening to the music and singing on the keyboard by Ariel Vingcoy, one of the recipient and regular musician at Palauan bars.

It's the first time that Roberto has listen to him singing. He didn't know that Ariel is also one of many singers from Central part of the Philippines with problems in pronouncing "e" as "i" and sometimes pronouncing "i" as "e". Also the "o" as "u" and vice-versa. 

Even with the chords in playing the keyboard, he's missing many simple transpositions. He doesn't use augmented, major 7th, minor 7th, sustain, 7th sustain, diminish, 6th or 9th. A far cry from what he's boasting.