(1013) PALAU TEAM IN KHANTY-MANSIYSK OLYMPIAD

MINIMUM OF 3 PLAYERS
     To be allowed to play in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia 2010 World Chess Olympiad, a team must have at least 3 members. In Palau's case, only 2 players made it--Roberto Hernandez and Tito Cabunagan. They were not allowed to play because their team captain Jamie Kenmure is listed under Australia while their Delegate Jan-Olav Berglund is not listed in Sweden and USA but can't show any stamp in his passport that he's been to Palau at least once. 

Source: Australasia Chess Magazine

(951) GEORGIAN GM EXPELLED FROM DUBAI OPEN FOR CHEATING (TBN-May 11, 2015)

GM CHEATER

             Georgia will host the 2018 World Chess Olympiad and the cheating incident in the 2015 Dubai Open involving Georgian GM Gaioz Nigalidze will somehow be a blow to its credibility. Their top GM Baadur Jovaba has beaten current world champion Magnus Carlsen in the 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

   GEORGIAN GRANDMASTER EXPELLED

              FROM 2015 DUBAI OPEN

                      FOR CHEATING

A CHESS Grandmaster has been thrown out of an international tournament after he made repeated trips to the toilet to allegedly check tactics on a mobile phone he had hidden inside a cubicle.

                 Gaioz Nigalidze, the current Georgian champion and their No. 8 top player, was expelled from the Dubai Open for using his smart phone in a match against Armenian Grandmaster Tigran L Petrosian.

He faces a ban of up to 15 years.

British former world title contender Nigel Short said Nigalidze "should be stripped of his GM (Grandmaster) title and banned immediately".

He called for the World Chess Federation (FIDE) to tighten up rules, and questioned on Twitter whether it should introduce "mandatory two-year bans for computer cheats".

Two-time national champion Nigalidze was exposed when Petrosian grew suspicious about his frequent trips to the lavatory during Saturday's sixth-round match.

Tournament officials found Nigalidze had hidden a mobile phone in a cubicle, covered in toilet paper.

The Dubai Chess and Culture Club announced its decision to expel Nigalidze on Sunday morning.

It issued a statement on its Facebook page, along with a picture of Nigalidze's phone and an official game sheet of moves.

"When confronted, Nigalidze denied he owned the device," it said.

"But officials opened the smart phone and found it was logged into a social networking site under Nigalidze's account. They also found his game being analyzed in one of the chess applications."

Petrosian told the Daily Telegraph: "Nigalidze would promptly reply to my moves and then literally run to the toilet.

"I noticed that he would always visit the same toilet partition, which was strange, since two other partitions weren't occupied.

"I informed the chief arbiter about my growing suspicions and asked him to keep an eye on Gaioz.

"After my opponent left the very toilet partition yet another time, the arbiters entered it.

"What they found was the mobile phone with headphones; the device was hidden behind the pan and covered with toilet paper."

When questioned about the offence, Nigalidze said: "Not everything is true in what Petrosian said."

It is not the first time a player has been caught cheating at a chess tournament.

In July 2013, Bulgarian player Borislav Ivanov was suspended for four months after officials found most of his moves matched those of the top computer chess programs.

In 2008, at the Dubai Open, an Iranian player was banned after he was found receiving help via text messages.

Computers became powerful enough to outwit the world's top chess players nearly 20 years ago.

In 1997, Garry Kasparov became the first reigning world chess champion to be beaten by a computer under tournament conditions.

The 2015 Palau Blitz Chess Championship will fire off on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2015 at Bethlehem Park starting at 2:30pm. Out of 36 listed in the last issue of Chess Mate, only 20 have confirmed. 9^th seed Paquito Suringa, Jr. can’t make it because he’s organizing a multiple sports competition at the same date of the event.

Remrel Dizon, James dela Cruz, Mohammad Manik Hossain, Leif Toribiong, Christopher Kitalong, Arnold Undecimo, Cris Ulap, Geoff Martin, Tuloy Rengiil, Glen Navarroza, Joey Balute, Roxanne Parco, Nelson Sablan, Tutii Joe Chilton and Morton Sawaichi can still make it if they will show up before the start of the first round.

Without the confirmation from these players, the possible first round matches are 1. Tito Cabunagan vs. Angelica Parrado 2. Cyril Montel, Jr. vs. Jeff Balbalosa 3. Roberto Hernandez vs. Baby Edna Mission 4. Bernardo Garcia vs. Destiny Sisior 5. Rafael Paloma vs. Manuel Mahor, Jr. 6. Rustum Cabuso vs. Gladys Paloma 7. Dennis Gonzales vs. Felix Oling 8. Eugene Labarda vs. Angelil Sisior 9. Nilo de Jesus vs. Robert Sola and 10. Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Rey Sanchez.

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3863: 1. Bxb5+! Axb5 2. Nc7+! Rxc7 3. Rd8 mate.

This week’s puzzle No. 3864: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Page 9

             Volume 24

             Issue 38

             May 11, 2015 

(689) MORE ABOUT HYDRA (64 by Zaldy Dandan - Marianas Variety July 08, 2005)

Source: 64 by Zaldy Dandan
             Marianas Variety
             Friday, July 08, 2005

(516) ALMOST AN NM TITLE FOR JOSELITO MARCOS (TBN-July 15, 2013)

SAME AS YOU 
     Joselito Marcos, right, is flanked by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, when the latter visited the National Polytechnic Institute of Papua New Guinea recently.Lito teases Roberto by saying, "If you have a photo of you and Palau President Johnson Toribiong, I have also a photo with PNG's Prime Minister." The two really have many things in common.
                                        (Photo by Joselito Marcos) 

         ALMOST A NM TITLE FOR

              LITO MARCOS IN 1991 

Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea became the best friend of Roberto Hernandez when they first met in Australia to represent PNG and Palau respectively for the first time.

Since then, their friendship goes deeper and deeper from Russia in 2010 World Chess Olympiad and in Palau during the 2011 3^rd Palau Invitational Chess Championship.

Health problem prevented him to participate in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey but he’s always online watching the development and games of the Olympiad. He usually gives advises to Palau Chess Team members especially Roberto and Bernardo Garcia, who acquired the first FIDE title of Palau, a Candidate Master title.

A few months after the 2012 Olympiad, he single-handedly worked on how to achieve a CM title that should have been given to him when he scored enough points at 2002 Bled, Slovenia World Chess Olympiad.

He is now a CM and in their latest conversations about how many chess masters does he knows, he shared the following wonderful experiences when he almost gain a National Master title in 1991 in his final round game against Idel Datu, who eventually gained that title in the following story:

“I’m reminiscing… when I missed out on NM title in a game vs. Idel Datu, who went on to get his in 1991. GM Jayson Gonzales, Philippines Open Team Captain at 2012 Olympiad, was there telling Datu that he could not underestimate Joselito.”

“He nearly made a losing blunder but he spotted it in the end because Lito rose from his chair in excitement. Datu looked at him and at the board… then he perspired, regained his composure, and changed the move written on his score sheet (today, it is not allowed doing this).”

HIS HUMBLE SHARING COMMENTS: “Whatever I have shared to Palau is my way of giving back from other’s goodness.”

A short email to Lito by Roberto is as follows: “Thanks for the info about GM Mark Paragua. I don’t have an idea about all of it. You really know a lot about almost all chess players in the world. Even when we’re in Russia, you easily recognized GM Nigel Short personally than me even if we chat regularly on Facebook before the Russia Olympiad.

If not for your recognition of him, I might have missed that photo session with Nigel.”

Lito answered “Thank you for the compliments. As always or most of the cases I happened to be where the actions are.

We were in the same hotel with the Philippine team in 2oo2 Bled, Slovenia Olympiad. GM Paragua’s father Ric Paragua, a civil engineer like me, and I have talked at least 2 times during meals. Then again, we met in a rapid tourney in Baliwag, Bulacan Philippines in 2010 where I learned about GM Paragua’s  marital situation and need.

However, he didn’t seem to remember me and I didn’t bother to remind him. Why? Grandmasters Bong Villamayor and Jayson Gonzales always talk and approached me when opportunity arises during tournaments we are together.

The Philippine Masters who do not know me were wondering who I am that they are talking to intently.  Bong, while he was just a NM was my guest in the house but he never mind not sleeping as we analyzed some of my games and gave me pointers.

In Bled, he was already a GM, still we also analyzed 2 of my games, one won and one drawn.

He pointed a couple of missed wins in the middle game and in the endgame of the drawn game.”

                Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1.

                This week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9 & 11

               Volume 22

               Issue 56

               July 15, 2013 

(422) MINGLING WITH THE WORLD'S TOP CHESS PLAYERS

A MOMENT WITH GRANDMASTER ALEXIE SHIROV
Prior before his game, I talked to GM Alexie Shirov, now playing for Latvia, about his simul in Australia in 2009 where Daniel Lapitan was the only player that drew with him. I can't find anybody to take this picture so I take it myself. A smile elicit from GM Shirov when I did that. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



MINGLING WITH THE WORLD'S
TOP CHESS PLAYERS

PLAYING in the World Chess Olympiad is an unforgettable experience. Where can you find a greater place to mingle with the world’s best chess players? It’s only in the Olympiad. Where can you have 15 or 16 days of free full accommodation while enjoying the host country’s hospitality and historical places to visit? It’s only in the Olympiad. There are lots more reasons to it that’s why if given an opportunity or chance, grab it and be firm on your decision.

Palau finally participated in its first World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey on Aug. 27-Sept. 10, 2012. Although they are short of a player because of separate reasons from Tito Cabunagan and Mohammad Manik Hossain, Palau still completed the 4 boards with Roberto Hernandez at Board 1, Elizabeth Manuel at Board 2, Bernardo Garcia at Board 3 and Menandro Manuel at Board 4.

After each and every game in the Istanbul Olympiad, I make it sure that I take pictures of the top 10 boards that are still playing. It means 20 top countries in the standings fighting it off for honor to their countries.

Usually, the top players sit on their tables with just a few minutes before the games start. I’m lucky to have a picture with super Grandmaster Alexie Shirov, who played for Spain for many years and now playing for Latvia. I don’t have anybody to take a picture of us so I took it myself after giving him my card and talk to him about his simultaneous exhibition games in Australia in 2009.

In that exhibition games, he played 16 players at the same time and only the 10-year-old Daniel Lapitan was able to draw with him. GM Shirov remembers that and I told him that Daniel and his family became my friends when I participated in the 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Australia.

I was able to talk to International Master of Philippines Oliver Dimakiling after he quickly lost his game at Board 4 against GM Gabriel Sargissian from eventual champion Armenia. He said he miscalculated the complex position of his game, which became his last game as reserve in that Olympiad.

There is an agreement between players and team captain of the Philippine team that whoever loses his first game, he will be replaced. Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre then became the Board 3 player and GM Mark Paragua replaced IM Dimakiling and since then, the Philippine team, 35^th seed, scored successive victories or draws to higher rated opponents.

In Round 6, the Philippines defeated Bulgaria with Wesley So, Paragua and Torre securing draws and Oliver Barbosa delivered the winning margin by clobbering GM Kiril Georgiev in 59 moves.

Notable draw was achieved against 4^thseeded Hungary in Round 7 with Wesley So and Peter Leko played a wild line of the Marshall Attack, but the game ended in a draw. Zoltan Almasi took his team to the lead with a win over Oliver Barbosa, but the legendary Eugene Torre, first Asian Grandmaster and record holder of 21 appearances in the Olympiads, escaped from a passive position to pull off a victory against Ferenc Berkes and equalize the score. (Palau’s Delegate Jan Berglund has claimed he’s got 22 appearances in the Olympiads but not as a player like Eugene but as captain/coach/Delegate or journalist).

In Round 8—ELO doesn’t really play a game in chess, as repeatedly proven by Philippines, who soundly beat the strong team of England by 3-1. Barbosa whipped Gawain Jones in 102 moves while the legendary Torre outsmarted Nigel Short. I remember Eugene said after losing to Short in the Candidates Matches in the ‘80’s: “I’ll never get short of Nigel Short again.”SWEET REVENGE!

Menandro Manuel, left, Board 4 of Palau, watches the England-Philippines match with GM Wesley So vs. GM Michael Adams and GM Oliver Barbosa vs. GM Gawain Jones. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

China ends the winning streak of the Philippines in Round 9 by winning on boards 2, 3 and 4. Only So salvaged a draw to avert a shutout. Still in the top 10 tables, the Philippines drew with Vietnam in the penultimate round and lost to Romania in the final round to finish 21^st. In 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Russia, the Philippine team finished 50^th. Their best place finished is 7^th at the 1988 Thessaloniki, Greece World Chess Olympiad and 11^thin the 1974 World Chess Olympiad in Nice, France where Torre got his final GM norm to become Asia’s first GM.

Russia’s first match loss in an Olympiad was dealt to them by a strong USA team in the 9^thround of Istanbul Olympiad. I’m there watching how USA top player Hikaru Nakamura defeated former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. Before making his 40^thmove (Rxe7), he will look up, stand up, talk to himself in silence, pretending to hold the piece to make a move, close his eyes for a few seconds, and all the other legal antics that you can think of. Most of the time, he’s watching other games if it’s his opponent’s turn to move. He spends more time standing/walking than sitting!

In the final round, Nakamura suffered his first loss to Poland’s Radoslaw Wojtaszek, who is the second/assistant of current world champion Viswanathan Anand for a long time.

World’s no. 4 Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan spends a long time before sacrificing his knight against a Grandmaster. He looks at the crowd, stand up, close his eyes, looked up staring blank, make it sure that the crowd will see him making the sacrifice. He moves while standing and authoritatively checked his opponent’s king. That move produces a whole point for him and Azerbaijan, who will host the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, the birthplace of former world champion Gary Kasparov.

Radjabov’s laptop was stolen in his hotel room while he is participating in a tournament in Europe and had to withdraw from the tournament because his preparations for the event are all in his laptop.

I was able to talk also to former Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker, who shouldered my airfare in 2009 so that I can participate in that Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Australia. He said he is very glad that Palau finally sent a whole team to the Olympiad. He added that my position being at Board 1 had a very heavy responsibility because I’m facing the strongest players every time in every game so he understands my 3 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses record.

After the Istanbul Olympiad, chess is now booming in Palau. The ongoing 2012 Palau National Chess Championship exceeded all expectations in terms of junior and women participants. The Class A is for the top 8 of Palau in a double round-robin format.

The Class B or 1650 rating and lower has 21 participants with 4 more waiting in the line. They can’t be accommodated because of shortness of rated players in that division. Next year, Palau can have a separate tournament for kids 15 years and below, Class A, Class B and women.

The Palau Chess Team for 2014 World Chess Olympiad is already filled in the Open (Men’s)—Board 1 Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Board 2 Menandro Manuel, Board 3 CM Bernardo Garcia, Board 4 Tito Cabunagan, reserve Roberto Hernandez, Jeff Balbalosa and Paquito Suringa, Jr. The head of Delegation is Senator Mlib Tmechtul, the men’s team captain is Australian Jamie Kenmure and Delegate is Jan Berglund of Sweden. The almost complete line-up of women’s team is Board 1 Angie Parrado, Board 2 Mary Frances Lopez, Board 3 Bheng Codinera Mendoza (her real name is Baby Edna Mission as written in her passport), Board 4 Elizabeth Manuel, reserve Paz Ngiratechekii or Angelil Sisior. Suringa or Balbalosa can be their team captain defending on the availability of the positions. Mohammad Manik Hossain also confirmed his inclusion to the 2014 team but his hesitations in Istanbul Olympiad caused his slot to be taken by more committed and higher rated players.

MOVING FORWARD –CHESS IN PALAU!

Source: Smile and Say Chess by Roberto Hernandez

The International Filipino Magazine

November 2012 Issue