(792) TOP 10 COUNTRIES WHO VIEWED PCF WEBSITE http://palau-chess.blogspot.com as of Sept. 30, 2014 at 1:25am

Candidate Master Joselito Marcos, right, did many generous, unselfish, fantastic, innovative, motivational and inspirational things for Palau Chess Federation. One of that is making a website for PCF which he started in Dec. 26, 2011 after his participation (and ended up as co-champion) in the 3rd Palau Invitational Chess Championship in Dec. 14-21, 2011. Roberto Hernandez, left, is very grateful to him and now continues to post at this website regularly. He has posted 833 already. This photo was taken inside Roberto and Bernard's room during the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.
     This 833rd article is dedicated to Roberto's best friend, mentor, motivator, investor (investing his time for chess development in Palau) and adviser --ENGINEER, CM, WRITER, DIRECTOR, ARBITER, PRESIDENT, DELEGATE AND GOD-FEARING JOSELITO MARCOS!
     THANK YOU VERY MUCH! MARAMING SALAMAT PO! MUCHOS GRACIAS! ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU! KAMSAMIDA! XIE XIE! KAN AN! AFKARISTO! MESULANG!
                                 (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Bernardo Garcia)


TOP 10 COUNTRIES WHO VIEWED
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
AS OF SEPT. 30, 2014 at 1:23am

1. USA                      82,359
2. Philippines            5,236
3. Russia                   3,306
4. Germany               1,958
5. Australia               1,336
6. Palau                     1,231
7. United Kingdom      778
8. Papua New Guinea 679
9. France                     570
10. Ukraine                 356
                     Total  97,809

All-time views  -  111,437
Other countries' views  -- 13,628


Sources: History of Chess In Palau
             September 30, 2014

             Palau Chess Federation website
             http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
   

(626) Booking for Manila-Sydney, Sydney-Coolangatta Confirmed (TBN-June 01-07, 2009)

ON THURSDAY, May 28, 2009, Mr. Gary Bekker send 4 emails to Palau lone representative to Oceania Zonal Chess Championship Roberto Hernandez, confirming his round trip airfare from Manila to Sydney and from Sydney to Coolangatta.  The email says:

Dear Roberto:
   Due to delays in finalizing your booking, your flight was a little more expensive than originally planned (around US$700 instead of US$600), but this has now been booked and paid for. Please confirm that you are able to get to Manila on your own to catch this flight. 
   I will make the Sydney to Coolangatta booking for you as well. 
   This is an electronic booking so you just need to present your booking number and passport. 
   You may like to get your local travel agent to print a copy of the ticket if you prefer.
   Warmest regards,
    Gary Bekker
    Tel. (03)8562-0092
    Mobile: 0418-142-258
    email: gbekker@capitaltransport.com.au

Within 2 minutes, another email was sent by Mr. Bekker entitled "Your Booking Confirmation -- B6YDEJ" with a total fare of $711.80.

Hernandez will leave Manila on Thursday, June 18 at 9:00 am and will arrive in Sydney at 19:10. On his way back from Sydney to Manila on Monday, June 29 at 11:05am to 17:30pm.

In less than an hour, Mr. Bekker emailed again:

Dear Roberto, 
   I have now booked your Virgin Blue flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast (Coolangatta) as well. You will need to transfer to the Sydney domestic terminal (from international) and check in to your Virgin Blue flight DJ 545 to the Gold Coast as soon as you land in Sydney.
    For the return trip to Sydney I have booked a 7:00 am departure on DJ 504, rather than the 6:00am flight and you will arrive in Sydney at 8:30 am, well in time to check-in and catch your flight to Manila. 
    Again, you will need to transfer from the domestic terminal to the international terminal in Sydney.
    I am looking forward to seeing you at the Oceania Zonal next month.
    Warmest regards,   
    Gary

Eleven minutes after that, the 4th email says:
    "Your Virgin Blue Itinerary for Mr. R Hernandez-W5FBCN"

Hi Gary,
   Thank you for choosing to travel with Virgin Blue. Your reservation number is W5FBCN.
   Virgin Blue is a ticketless airline, therefore you don't need a ticket to travel with us.
   All you need to do is present photo ID and the attached itinerary. It's that easy!  etc.  etc...

A day earlier, Mr. Jan Berglund emailed Hernandez that says:

Dear Mr. Hernandez,
   I took notice of Gary's writing below and checked some web pages, because my understanding, when discussing this zonal tournament at Dresden Olympiad was, that full board was included as usual. This is what I came up with.
   On the web page http://www.gardinderchess.com/oceaniazonal/outriggerresort.htm it says: "Room includes breakfast".
   Also, 2.5 in the FIDE Handbook, section "01. Recommendations for Organization of Top-level Tournaments" http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=15&view=category  says: "Organizers should keep in mind that players prefer to receive daily sums of money for their meals rather than full board at the hotel", which indicates that full board should be provided. 
   In 2.1 it says: "The rooms of the players must be comfortable and quiet single rooms". I believe I read somewhere  that your were going to share double occupancy.
   These rules are made to give everyone a chance to take part. Players from developing or poor countries should not be excluded from participation for financial reasons. 
   If the organizer saves money on the room is one thing, and could be a fair negotiation, but to take away the food for the players is a financial issue.
    So, full board should be provided or compensated for.
    Good luck with the tournament. 
    Jan

PS
   The price given on Virgin Blue Airlines below is the same as I can find in Europe. So, the best thing would be that Gary provides those tickets. I also checked the price going by Greyhound bus. It was about the same as the flight price. But then, such a coach trip would take you a full long day.

This is in response to Hernandez email to Gary that says:

Dear Gary,
   I went to West Travel Agency yesterday and Ms. Yupha Ongrung helped me get a quotation for Sydney-Coolangatta trip. She said I cannot book it in Palau. It should be booked in Australia. The airline is Virgin Blue Airlines.
   Could you please book it for me? Is it true that food is not included in the accommodation? Even breakfast?
   At Fiji, Dr. Virgilio de Asa offered accommodation that includes breakfast only. 
   If so, I need to bring some extra cash for food.
   Till here and best wishes. God bless you always.

   Roberto

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               Pages 13 & 15
               Volume 18
               June 01-07, 2009    

                   

(617) CONTINUATION OF FIDE LAWS OF CHESS (TBN-April 13-19, 2009)

BASIC RULES OF PLAY

Article 1: The nature and objectives of the game of chess
           1.1 The game of chess is played between two opponents who move pieces alternately on a square board called a 'chessboard'. The player with the white pieces commences the game. A player is said to 'have the move' when his opponent's move have been made. (See Article 6.7)
          1.2 The objective of each player is to place the opponent's king 'under attack' in such a way that the opponent has no legal move. The player who achieves this goal is said to have 'checkmated' the opponent's king and to have won the game. Leaving one's own king under attack, exposing one's own king to attack and also 'capturing' the opponent's king are not allowed. The opponent whose king has been checkmated has lost the game.

          1.3 If the position is such that neither player can possibly checkmate, the game is drawn.

Article 2: The initial position of the pieces on the chessboard

          2.1 The chessboard is composed of an 8x8 grid if 64 equal squares alternately light (the 'white' squares) and dark (the 'black' squares). The chessboard is placed between the players in such a way that the near corner square to the right of the player is white.


          2.3  The initial position of the pieces on the chessboard is as follows: (Published on Feb. 23-March 01, 2009 Issue).

          2.4 The eight vertical columns of squares are called 'files'. The eight horizontal rows of squares are called 'ranks'. The straight line of squares of the same color, running from one edge of the board to an adjacent edge, is called 'diagonal'.

Article 3: The moves of the pieces

          3.1  It is not permitted to move a piece to a square occupied by a piece of the same color. If a piece moves to a square occupied by an opponent's piece, the latter is captured and removed from the chessboard as part of the same move. A piece is said to attack an opponent's piece if a piece could make a capture on that square according to the Articles 3.2 to 3.8. A piece is considered to attack a square even if such piece is constrained from moving to that square because it would then leave or place the king of its own color under attack.
  
          3.2 The bishop may move to any square along a diagonal on which it stands.

          3.3 The rook may move to any square along the file or the rank on which it stands.

          3.4 The queen may move to any square along the file, the rank or a diagonal on which it stands.

          3.5 When making these moves the bishop, rook or queen may not move over any intervening pieces.

           3.6 The knight may move to one of the squares nearest to that on which it stands but not on the same rank, file or diagonal.

           3.7   a. The pawn may move forward to the unoccupied square immediately in from of it on the same file, or
                   b. On its first move the pawn may move as in 3.7 .a: alternately it may advance two squares along the same file provided both squares are unoccupied, or

                   c. The pawn may move to a square occupied by an opponent's piece which is diagonally in front of it on an adjacent file, capturing that piece.

                   d. A pawn attacking a square crossed by an opponent's pawn which has advanced two squares in one move from its original square may capture this opponent's pawn though the latter had been moved only one square. This capture is only legal on the move following this advance and is called an 'en passant' square.
                   
                   e. When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting position it must be exchanged as part of the same move on the same square for a new queen, rook, bishop or knight of the pawn's color. The player's choice is not restricted to pieces that have been captured previously.  This exchange of a pawn for another piece is called 'promotion' and the effect of the new piece is immediate.

THE 3.8 a. CONTINUATION WILL BE PUBLISHED NEXT ISSUE.

There is a possibility that Palau  can send also a female player in the Oceania Zonal Chess Championship if the budget for it will be approved. 

The promise of an airfare discount from Philippine Airlines in going to Australia by Philippine Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino is not yet clear but a news that an Australian airline will fly Koror-Manila and Manila-Australia is a very much welcomed news. 

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
            Tia Belau Newspaper
            Pages 13 & 15
            Volume 18
            April 13-19, 2009   




 
          
             

    

(605) INVITATION TO PLAY IN NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA (TBN-Dec. 08-14, 2008)

THE President of Oceania Zone Mr. Gary Bekker of Australia has sent an invitation to Palau Chess Federation Secretary/Treasurer Roberto Hernandez and Gene Pastrana to play in Queenstown Classic chess tournament in New Zealand (January 15-24, 2009) and in the Oceania Zonal tournament in Gold Coast Australia in July 2009.

Mr. Bekker is willing to give free accommodation for these two prestigious chess events and an airfare subsidy of $500.00.

He is trying to get some more sponsorship from Asian Chess Federation President Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nehyan for the rest of the airfare.

Upon consulting Mr. Pastrana, he can't go to these tournaments unless a full airfare sponsorship is provided.

The same thing to Hernandez as he has already taken his annual leave during the 2008 World Chess Olympiad date (Nov. 12-25), where their visa a week late and were unable to play for team Palau.

Mr. Bekker also extended the invitation to other top players of Palau Menandro Manuel, Cyril Montel, Jr., Dennis Lara, Craig Dittrich and even to Arnel Pama and Tony Villa, who are not in Palau anymore.

Hernandez forwarded the invitation to Allan Diez, who placed 3rd in the 2nd Ambassador Marino Cup (Palau Invitational Chess Championship) in 2007.

He is capable of buying his own airfare to the said events.

During the Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, Mr. Bekker already promised to help out with at least free board and lodging and $500.00 as a contribution to Hernandez if he decided to go to Queenstown.

He'll share his room with Hernandez but didn't mention about the food.

Mr. Bekker also promised Mr. Jan Berglund, Palau Delegate to the Chess Olympiad, to be one of the arbiters at the Queenstown and Zonal but when Mr. Berglund talked to the main organizer, Grandmaster Murray Chandler, there is no budget for any more arbiters and Mr. Bekker said that he doesn't need any more arbiters for the Zonal in Brisbane, Australia.
 fro
It means that Mr. Berglund is not going to these 2 tournaments and rather save those airfares and spend it in going to Palau instead.

He's hoping to go to Brisbane to coach one or 2 players from Palau and will see if there are any funds available to obtain that. 

Also mentioned in the conversation is the school project for Palau. Mr. Bekker said that he had someone from the Philippines, who could come for a month.

The very same person will go for a month in Papua New Guinea. The salary for this person will be taken care of by someone so that it would not cost Palau anything.

In Dresden, Mr. Bekker also promised the 4 professional and retired teachers from USA/British Virgin Islands the airfares to go to Palau and teach. 

The four women have spent from their own money to travel to Dresden without getting able to play for Palau women's team in the end.

Mr. Berglund thinks that it would be a much better idea to have these women as there would be responsible for this teaching for the entire semesters and they could inspire more women to start to play chess as well as waken up the USA community in the island to take part in the local tournaments.

In Hernandez' last day off (Sunday, Nov. 30), a blitz chess contest was held at Jean's Boutique and Store.

The other players were Manny Nedic, Gene Pastrana and Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich.

Hernandez emerged as champion by sweeping Pastrana and Dittrich and split his match with Nedic for a total of 5 wins and a loss.

Pastrana was 2nd with a 3-2-1 win-loss-draw slate. Nedic was 2-3-1 and Dittrich scored his only win against Nedic and finished with 1-5-0.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               Pages 13 & 15
               Volume 17
               December 08-14, 2008       


         



       

(541) MUSIC AND ME (Aug. 08, 2013) Requesting A Song Or Two

SHE CAN'T BELIEVE IT

     The Taiwanese lady, 2nd from right, back row, can't believe that I was able to play for more than an hour all Taiwanese songs that are in her generation. She gave me $20.00 tip which is rare for a Taiwanese and have a photo session before leaving.                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



        REQUESTING A SONG OR TWO
IT WAS not my night in August 05, 2013. When I started playing piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort from 7pm, there's a Taiwanese family in front of the piano.

There are 2 girls, 3 ladies and a guy. When I started playing Taiwanese songs, one of the lady sing-along with my rendition of Taiwanese songs.

There is also a young Japanese couple that are a few meters away from them. I alternately play 2 Taiwanese songs, 1 Japanese song and 1 American song.

The Japanese guy is somehow confused or amaze because even when I played the Japanese song "Kampai", the lady also sings it in Taiwanese version. The same as in the song "Sakeyo".

When I play "More Than I Can Say", she sings it also. There is also a Taiwanese version of that song by Leo Sayer. 

There is also another Taiwanese family of 4 close to their table. Their 2 teenage daughters approach me, with a dollar in her hand and ask for my Taiwanese songs songbook.

I gave her the songbook and she chooses a song there, with the title starting with "1945. .... "  I said to her that I'm not familiar with the song yet. She keeps the dollar. It's my first time to experience such stinginess.

Mostly when people requested me a song or two and they have money for tip, and I don't know the song/s that they are requesting, I usually ask who is the singer of that song if I don't know that song/s.

I will suggest that I'll play some songs of that singer and they will be satisfied with that and will give tip that is ready at hand.

On my last song of the night, the lady who always sings asked for the lyrics of "The Greatest Love Of All" and she sang it in key of C! It's a man's key but she can sing high notes.

Michelle Liao, comptroller of PRR, is having dinner with some friends at the wooden area of Waves Restaurant. She talked to Hazel, the supervisor, who said to me, "I didn't know that singing is not allowed here. Michelle might scold you later.Did they give you tip?"  I said no.

I played for straight 2 hours that night and didn't use the restroom so I didn't see that Michelle was there. 

THAT EXPERIENCE WITH TEENAGE TAIWANESE AFFIRMS MY EXPECTATION THAT TAIWANESE ARE NOT REALLY GIVERS LIKE JAPANESE OR AMERICANS.

JUST 2 NIGHTS LATER, I WAS PROVEN WRONG!!!

Many Taiwanese guests again when I played from 7-9pm on August 6, 2013.

When I am starting to set the keyboard at Breeze Bar for another 2 hours of music, there is a big group of Taiwanese occupying a long table. 

I noticed that they all had dinner at Waves Restaurant but they are using the Royal Snack, which they have to use on the same date written on it. It includes one drink and one appetizer.

After my first song, a Taiwanese guy requested me to play "Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson and the theme from "Godfather" -- "Speak Softly Love".

He danced with his wife to the 1st song and asked me to stop on the 2nd song as it is too slow for them.

I played the Taiwanese song "Grandma's Penghu Bay" and most of them dance. I followed it up with all Taiwanese songs "Heart Of The Bloom", "Tian Mi Mi", "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin", "Ye Lai Xiang" and "Lan Hua Cao".

BUT... WHEN I PLAYED THE "GAO SHAN QING" (Evergreen Mountain), all of them danced, holding each hand and making a huge circle surrounding the coconut tree in the middle.

It happened to me a few months ago that Taiwanese guests really like this song. And they did the same dance formation.

Jeff, the bartender, told me that I have to make the song longer because they're really enjoying it. So, I played the songs 3 times longer than its normal length.

A guy from the group gave me $10.00 tip. They continue to dance (slow or upbeat) for almost an hour. I have played almost all of the Taiwanese songs I know.

Later, the guy who requested me the first 2 songs gave me $20.00 tip!  They're not stingy.  

               MY OWN OBSERVATION SINCE 1980's:
When young people requested me songs, of course latest songs, I usually get no tips. It's because they're are not established yet financially.
   I remember in 1980, I'm playing at lunch time in Branding Iron Steakhouse of The Plaza Restaurant in Makati. Two young ladies requested "Rainbow Connection". I don't know yet that song but they don't want to leave until I've played it.

   One night as I'm sleeping, my roommate lets his FM radio playing till 2am and it plays "Rainbow Connection". I listen to it intensely trying to memorize its melody. But once is not enough. I need to listen to a new song at least 3 times, then play it with a keyboard or guitar at least 3 more times.

   There's also some occasion that you need to rely on your 'music instincts'. A few days after the Rainbow Connection request, I was requested again by a guy to play "Love Me Tender". I know the song but I haven't play it yet on the piano.
   I surprised myself when I played it for the first time and without mistakes!

   In 2009, Arnel Pama, chief steward of PRR, printed a Filipino song from internet "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang" (Why You Came Just Now In My Life) and put it at the piano music stand and say, "Please try it and we will sing it if you don't know the melody."
   What happened amazed Arnel and he became interested in music. After playing sluggishly during the 1st stanza and chorus of the song, I was able to play the rest WITH EXPRESSION! as if I know the song long time ago.

   In 1986, I playing piano at Sinugba Restaurant when a young Filipino guest asked for my songbook. He will choose there his requested songs. My songbook is handwritten alphabetically. He chose 7 songs from letter A and wrote it on a piece of paper.

    I'm on the 4th song and here comes another 4 requested songs for letter B... it keeps going that I haven't finish yet his requests and new ones keep on coming.

    When he and his date left, there are still about 5 songs I haven't played yet. AND HE DIDN'T GIVE EVEN A SINGLE PESO!  If he used a jukebox with those requests, he should have spent at least 20 pesos!

    Days later, there is an American lady dining with some friends near the piano. She didn't request any song but gave me 50 pesos because she likes the songs I've played.



Source: Chess And Music 
             Perfect Combination
             The Beginning of Chess In Palau
             To be published as a book in the future