(1468) MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 26, 2017) MICHAEL GLINSKI -- PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

      When Michael Glinski aka Batuti has rented the space/warehouse of Debbie Toribiong where the stuff of the closed Image Restaurant were stored (including the piano), he hired me and James dela Cruz to improvise the place and make it like a gallery. 

     We used local materials (bamboos, local woods, corals, etc.) to make it a unique art place. Michael also produced a very unique aquarium where the carefully selected small fishes were put including the moving mollusk and brain coral.

     He is closing the lights of the aquarium only at night time. He puts also many of his paintings around the place and on the walls where a realistic rain drop is so real that you will think that it's not a painting but real raindrops.

     I remember one day when it rains very hard and there are some leak on the roof. We put some basin where the water is leaking. He had some rugs to wipe away the wet parts of the wall and floor.

    When he finished wiping the floor and walls, I said to him, "Here are some more rain drops",--pointing to the real like raindrops painting. His reaction to it is like a reaction of every gay person like him. But it's a very good compliment by addressing the fine part of his art works.

    The warehouse/art gallery didn't click as it is located not in the place where easily seen or near the main road. It is about 30 meters off the main road.

    Finally, Michael was able to find a space/concession at Palau Royal Resort and it became more popular with his Palauan nickname "Batuti" as the name of his "Batuti Art Gallery". Batuti in Philippine language is pebble stone.

    Michael rented a house about 5 kilometers from PRR. He asked me and James to do the tile flooring of that house. He pays us like what big companies are paying their workers. Sometimes, my wife Flor was given extra job with James working on handicraft/woodcraft being ordered by foreigners mostly Americans. 

    James, whom I called "Jack of All Trades", knows a lot of things but master of none. He is the one who designed the landscape of Palau Royal Resort with Lazar Tmechtul, his employer for some years, for $70,000.00. He showed me the artist's layout of that landscape with the names of the plants written in their scientific names.

     



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- January 07, 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 07, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- January 07, 2018

             Island Times Newspaper
             Feature by Raquel C. Bagnol
             December 28, 2006 -- January 03, 2007

(979) 10 WOODPUSHERS JOIN 3RD PIICC (Island Times - Dec. 16, 2011)

Bernard Garcia initiates the ceremonial push with Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea to signal the start of the 3^rd Palau Invitational International Chess Championship held at the conference room of Palau Royal Resort. Also in photo are Margarita and Jamie Kirstie Marcos, Cyril Montel, Jr., Paquito Suringa, Jr. and Roberto Hernandez.  (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


     10 WOOD PUSHERS JOIN 3RD PIICC

A TOTAL of 10 chess players are seeing action in the 3^rd Palau Invitational International Chess Championship held at the conference room of the Palau Royal Resort.

The event organized by the Palau Chess Federation will have FIDE rated players namely Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea, Cyril Tomas Montel Jr., Menandro Manuel, Roberto Hernandez, Tito Cabunagan, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Bernardo Garcia, Dennis Gonzales, Jeffrey Balbalosa and 11-year old George Anzawa.

The tournament which will run until December 19 will follow the following rules and regulations: scoring system is one point for a win, one-half point for a draw and 0 point for a loss; tie break system that will be used are direct encounter or winner over the other, Sonneborn-Berger and Median; time control is 90 minutes for each player to make 40 moves, another 30 minutes to finish the game with an increment of 30 seconds beginning from move one; and FIDE rules will be applied in the duration of the tournament.

Champion for the event will get $300 and a Palau storyboard while the 2^nd and 3^rd placers will each get a gift certificate of dinner for two at Waves Restaurant of PRR. The 4^th and 5^th placers will get gift certificates of lunch for two at the Palau Pacific Resort.

Reporter – Peter Erick L. Magbanua

Source: Island Times
            Volume 7
            No. 13
            December 16, 2011

(593) CHESS OLYMPICS BOUND PLAYERS SEEK PRESS ACCREDITATION (Sept. 22-28, 2008)

TO GIVE certain advantages in all venues of the 2008 World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, the Palau Chess Team is urged by its Delegate/Coach/Trainer to have press accreditation in submitting their final roster of players.

A Palauan Chess Newsletter will be created to be issued by Palau Chess Federation to its members. And all members can be contributors to all newspapers in Palau: Tia Belau, Palau Horizon and Island Times.

Since Roberto Hernandez is writing in Tia Belau since 2002, he will be contributing all his reports to Tia Belau.

Accreditation card holders are given free street-car rides in Dresden, to and from the venue/hotels and don't have to pay Euro 9.50/day to get entry in the venues.

Other members of the team are Menandro 'Boy' Manuel, a surveyor at Surangel's, will handle Board 1. Manny Nedic of PTC, is Board 2; Hernandez, the musician of Palau Royal Resort, will be assigned at Board 3; Board 4 will be Cyril Montel, Jr., landscaper at Palau Pacific Resort; and reserve player is Gene Pastrana, sales and marketing manager of Jean's Boutique and Store.

Dennis Lara, a cook at PRR, has arrange private accommodation in Dresden on his own and will participate first in Asian Chess Championship in Iran slated to start in October 22-29, 2008.

He is expected to participate in other European tournaments while waiting for the biennial Chess Olympiad where he is playing in collateral tournaments parallel to the Olympics. 

Jan Berglund is Palau's Team Captain/Delegate/FIDE Committee member (computer/Press FIDE Press card/USTV.

His wife, Bessie Rave is Councelor/Press (USTV) and has arranged her private accommodation in Dresden on her own.

She was also with Jan in the 2006 World Chess Olympiad in Torino, Italy where Palau is already eligible to participate. But due to financial constraints they were not able to send a chess team.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
            Tia Belau Newspaper
            Pages 13 & 15
            Volume 17
            September 22-28, 2008 


    

 

  

 

(458) MANUEL, VILLA SHARE RAPID CHESS TITLE (TBN-Nov. 15-22, 2006)

RAPID CHESS CHAMPIONS

Veteran-newcomer Tony Villa, left, and Palau's top player Menandro 'Boy' Manuel, 2nd from left, receive their cash prizes from Knights and Rooks Chess Club Chairman Roberto Hernandez, right, and Secretary/Treasurer Gene Pastrana after topping the 2006 Rapid Chess Tournament. The two scored the same number of points and split the $175.00 1st and 2nd prize pot donated by Manny Kimpo of Pinoy Express Remittance.

(Contributed photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Published at Island Times

January 11-17, 2007

PALAU'S top player National Master Menandro Manuel and veteran-newcomer Tony Villa shared the title of 2006 Rapid Chess tournament in contrasting fashion on Sunday, December 10 at Jean's Boutique and Store.

Both finished with identical 15 points with Manuel suffering 4 losses, the last one to his nemesis fellow National Master Manny Nedic that allow Villa to tie him for the title and cash of $175.00 that they will split as they refuse to play a best-of-3 blitz tiebreak.

The next 5 players that will have a chance for the remaining pot will be decided next week with 3 remaining games between Edwin Eti and Cyril Montel, Jr. (2 games) and Nedic vs. venue host Gene Pastrana.

Nedic lost to Montel, Jr. in their first game but bounced back from defeat to drubbed Montel, Jr.

The 3rd place is a toss-up between Nedic and Eti, who sponsored the $100.00 cash prize.

The other cash prizes were donation from Manny Kimpo ($250.00) of Pinoy Express Remittance, Palau and from registration fees of the participating players.

Palau number 2 player Jose Omega, 3rd seed Montel, Jr. and 4th seed Roberto Hernandez are fighting it out for the last spots of the last tournament of the year.

All other players that didn't show up have lost their remaining matches by default -- Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich, Flavin Andres and Joel Azana.

A 7-player blitz chess contest was held after the regular games. They were Villa, Manuel, Eti, Hernandez, Nedic, Montel, Jr. and Pastrana.

After 5 games, 3 players were tied for the lead: Villa, Nedic and Hernandez with an identical 5-1-0 card.

After Villa ousted Hernandez of contention, Nedic bowed out of contention also with his loss to Montel, Jr. who needs to beat Villa to force a 3-way tie for the title.

But it wasn't meant to be a Villa showed his supremacy again in speed chess.

Due to low turnout of participants in the Christmas break chess tournament for Palauan kids 15 years and below, the organizers are now allowing Filipino kids to participate in the inaugural event.

Fourteen-year-old Jayrome Soriano will become the top seed to be followed by Dmitri Villanueva and Ken Pastrana, the junior champion of the Ambassador Marino Cup Rapid Chess tournament.

The Christmas party of Knights and Rooks Chess Club will be held on December 17 or 24 depending on the agreed date.

If it is on the 24th, Villa can't participate in the celebration and blitz chess festival that will divide the rated and beginners as he will have a 1-day vacation on the 22nd.


Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
December 15-22, 2006

(405) Tourney Organizer Issues Format for 1st Chess Tourney of 2007

TOP CONTENDERS OF BOTH DIVISION
Palau's top player NM Menandro Manuel, standing left (back row), will lead the rated division of 2007 first chess tourney with fellow NM Manny Nedic, 3rd from left back row, and venue host Gene Pastrana, right, back row, with 3rd seed Cyril Montel, Jr., left. American Craig Dittrich, right, will be the top seed in the unrated division as he prefers the tourney's time control format of 90 minutes for each player to finish the game with 20 seconds increment per move. He's playing against newcomer Emmie Buyacao while another newcomer Andy Estargo is executing a move against Val Vidar of Palau Pacific Resort (PPR) during the Christmas Blitz Chess Festival won by Rey Lapuz, 2nd from right, back row. Sole lady is the muse of the festival.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



    TOURNEY ORGANIZER ISSUES
     FORMAT FOR THE 1ST CHESS
         TOURNAMENT OF 2007
                                          (From Report of Roberto Hernandez)

THE FOLLOWING is the format for the first chess tournament of 2007-- the rated and unrated qualification chess tourney for the spot to represent Palau in Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Fiji on May 5-12, 2007:

1. The tournament will be a double round-robin in both divisions. In case that there will be 15 or more players in the unrated division, it will become a single round-robin event.

2. The time control for both divisions is 90 minutes for each player to finish the game with 20 seconds increment per move. It means that everytime a player moves and presses his clock, an additional 20 seconds will be added to his time.

3. Writing chess notation is mandatory either in algebraic, English or descriptive notation. Players will be given score sheets to be signed by both players after the conclusion of the game and submit the score sheets to arbiter Jess Toldoya or Roberto Hernandez. Protests may also be referred to the arbiters.

4. The tournament venue will be at Jean's Boutique and Store premises. Playing day is Sunday at 1:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon. Some games may last longer depending on the schedule of players.

5. Touch move rules will be applied. Once a piece is touched, it must be moved so players are advised to analyze the moves with their mind and not with their hands.

6. Registration fee is $20.00. Half of the fee will be utilized as cash prize for the top finishers and the other half will be used for the expenses of the Palau's representative to Fiji or for Palau's annual payment of membership to the World Chess Federation.

7. No tiebreak will be used to break the tie. Instead, the players will play on sudden death game or just split the cash.

8. Registration is still going on. Please contact Roberto Hernandez at 488-3694 or Gene Pastrana at 488-4640 for more information and details. The unrated division is also open to kids and women chess players.

Andy Estargo, left, vs. Craig Dittrich; Val Vidar vs. Emmie Buyacao; watching the game--Menandro Manuel, Manny Nedic, Rey Lapuz and Cyril Montel, Jr.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Emmie Buyacao, left, vs. Val Vidar' Craig Dittrich vs. Andy Estargo.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Roberto Hernandez, 3rd from right, organized the rapid chess tournament being won by Rey Lapuz, beside him. Craig Dittrich finished 1st runner-up to Lapuz.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



Source: Island Times Newspaper Sports Page
From report of Roberto Hernandez
January 18-24, 2007

(328) 10 WOODPUSHERS JOIN 3RD PIICC

Bernard Garcia initiates the ceremonial push with Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea to signal the start of the 3^rd Palau Invitational International Chess Championship held at the conference room of Palau Royal Resort. Also in photo are Margarita and Jamie Kirstie Marcos, Cyril Montel, Paquito Suringa and Roberto Hernandez.

A TOTAL of 10 chess players are seeing action in the 3^rd Palau Invitational International Chess Championship held at the conference room of the Palau Royal Resort.

The event organized by the Palau Chess Federation will have FIDE rated players namely Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea, Cyril Tomas Montel Jr., Menandro Manuel, Roberto Hernandez, Tito Cabunagan, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Bernardo Garcia, Dennis Gonzales, Jeffrey Balbalosa and 11-year old George Anzawa.

The tournament which will run until December 19 will follow the following rules and regulations: scoring system is one point for a win, one-half point for a draw and 0 point for a loss; tie break system that will be used are direct encounter or winner over the other, Sonneborn-Berger and Median; time control is 90 minutes for each player to make 40 moves, another 30 minutes to finish the game with an increment of 30 seconds beginning from move one; and FIDE rules will be applied in the duration of the tournament.

Champion for the event will get $300 and a Palau storyboard while the 2^nd and 3^rd placers will each get a gift certificate of dinner for two at Waves Restaurant of PRR. The 4^th and 5^th placers will get gift certificates of lunch for two at the Palau Pacific Resort.

Reporter – Peter Erick L. Magbanua

Source: Island Times
            Volume 7
            No. 13
           December 16, 2011

(197) MUSIC AND ME (June 7) Savoring a Japanese Fare

SAVORING A JAPANESE FARE
(and non-stop piano entertainment)

Text and photos by
RAQUEL C. BAGNOL

IF YOU'RE looking for a place to eat and at the same time give your senses a chance to relax to the wonderful stains of music from a piano, the right places to go to are Don Buri Dragon Restaurant, a few meters across Palasia Hotel, and Teppan Dragon at the Topside.

From various selection of delectable Japanese cuisine (Don Buri dishes), we sat down to sample Fry Fish Don, which turned out to be rice placed inside a buri (bowl) and topped with eggs, onions and crispy-fried fish.

The order, which came in an average portion, came with Miso soup, enough to fill in a regular hungry stomach but for an additional dollar, it can be added unto to make a generous serving.

A customer feels immediately at home when entering Don Buri and Teppan Dragon. These restaurants, owned by Yuriko Cho Irikedamoto, (including the Dragon Tei) are the only places in Palau which offers non-stop playing by pianist Roberto Hernandez, pianist and disc jockey at the Image Restaurant for the past 13 years.

Hernandez’repertoire is composed of almost 2,000 songs from different countries –Japanese, Filipino, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Chamorro, Chinese, French, Arabic, Palauan and English songs. He makes the customers feel at ease and relate by playing songs from their countries.

As an added appeal majority of the customers (Japanese), Hernandez enjoys playing the most requested songs like Itoshino Elly, Oribia O Kikinagara, Subaru, Kimito Itsumademo, Kita Sakaba and Tsunami.

He also plays more than 30 Palauan songs and is gaining popularity with the locals. His favorite includes Ngesuas, Kaneohe, Odasangel, Omruud A Reng and Betik Ra Renguk A Lekebil, a beautiful Palauan love song. He also adjusts his songs to the age bracket of the customers.

The lounge/piano bar at the Teppan Dragon is an ideal place to relax, chat with friends or simply enjoy coffee or cocktail. Bartender Freddy Gloria whips up fantastic cocktails which would fit any mood or occasion at affordable prices. He whipped up Monkey Magic for me and Ever Green for my buddy and a special“Blow Job” for us, four layers of different spirits in a jigger with actual flames on top. You have to sip it in a straw real quick (or else your straw will melt). This is going to be in the market soon.

Hernandez plays the piano non-stop at the Don Buri from 11 am to 2 pm and 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays. He plays at the Teppan Dragon from 6:30 to 9:30 pm every night, except Mondays. RCB

Source: Island Times Newspaper

Billboard Section

Island Flavor Column by Raquel C. Bagnol

Page 13

November 23-29, 2006

(183) THE COMING OF TONY VILLA

HE'S BEEN in Palau for only four months but the impact that he is putting in the quality of chess in Palau is tremendous.

He joined the ongoing rapid chess tournament in its 5th week and after losing his first game to Palau's number two Jose Omega, he showed his mastery of the game as nobody beats him in his next 15 games including Omega in their second game of this double round-robin event.

When interviewed by Knights and Rooks Chess Club chairman Roberto Hernandez, Villa said he hired Philippine National Master Allan Saysot in his attempt to put his potential to the fullest.

They usually played in blitz with Saysot having 2 minutes and Villa, 5 minutes. When the time came that he had beaten Saysot, Villa was rewarded with a tournament size chessboard and pieces that Saysot owned.

Villa's wife doesn't support his chess career and even burnt a box of his chess books. He still prefers the old games played than the recent games of Grandmasters and world champions.

On November 12, Villa joined a blitz chess tourney with Palau's top player Menandro Manuel, No. 3 Cyril Montel, Jr., No. 4 Roberto Hernandez, No. 5 NM Manny Nedic, No. 7 Gene Pastrana and Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich.

After drawing his first game with Manuel, he swept the opposition like a storm.

Despite his talent in chess, he is still humble enough to share what he knows about the game, including time management and tactics.

When another blitz tournament was held on Sunday, November 19, with 5 players participating: Villa, Hernandez, Montel, Jr., Pastrana and Omega, who has to work within the next hour.

Omega defeated Villa but like a wounder warrior, Villa scored 5 straight victories and drew the last game with Manuel (who replaced Omega), to clinch the title over Hernandez by a mere half point.

Nedic, Manuel and Edwin Eti joined the field to make the event a single round-robin of 8 players.

In the ongoing rapid chess tilt, Villa will win it if he will beat or draw with NMs Manuel and Nedic.

Source: The Coming of Tony Villa

by Roberto Hernandez

Page 19

Island Times Newspaper

November 23-29, 2006

MANUEL, VILLA SHARE

RAPID CHESS TITLE

PALAU'S TOP player National Master Menandro Manuel and veteran-newcomer Tony Villa share the title of 2006 Rapid Chess tournament in contrasting fashion on Sunday, December 10 at Jean's Boutique and Store.

Both finished with an identical 15 points with Manuel suffering four losses, the last one to his nemesis fellow National Master Manny Nedic that allowed Villa to tie him for the title and cash prize of $175.00 that they will split as they refused to play a best-of-3 blitz tiebreak.

The next 5 players that have a chance for the remaining pot will be decided next week with 3 remaining games between Edwin Eti and Cyril Montel, Jr. (2 games) and Nedic vs. venue host Gene Pastrana.

Nedic lost to Manuel in their first game but bounced back from defeat to drubbed Montel, Jr.

The 3rd place is a toss up between Nedic and Eti, who sponsored the $100.00 cash prize.

The other cash prizes were donation from Manny Kimpo ($250.00) of Pinoy Express Remittance, Palau and from registration fees of the participating players.

Palau number 2 player Jose Omega, 3rd seed Montel, Jr. and 4th seed Roberto Hernandez are fighting it out for the last spot of the last tournament of the year.

All other players that didn't come have lost their remaining matches by default: Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich, Flavin Andres and Joel Azana.

A 7-player blitz chess contest was held after the regular games. They are Villa, Manuel, Eti, Hernandez, Nedic, Montel, Jr. and Pastrana.

After 6 games, 3 players were tied for the lead: Villa, Nedic and Hernandez with an identical 5-1-0 card.

After Villa ousted Hernandez of contention, Nedic bowed out of contention also with his loss to Montel, Jr., who needs to beat Villa to force a 3-way tie for the title.

But it wasn't meant to be as Villa showed his supremacy again in speed chess.

Due to low turnout of participants in the Christmas break chess tournament for Palauan kids 15 years and below, the organizers are now allowing Filipino kids to participate in the inaugural event.

14-year old Jayrome Soriano will become the top seed to be followed by Dmitri Villanueva and Ken Pastrana, the junior champion of the Ambassador Marino Cup Rapid Chess tournament.

The Christmas party of Knights and Rooks Chess Club will be held on December 17 or 24 depending on the agreed date.

If it's on the 24th, Villa can participate in the celebration and blitz chess festival that will be divided into rated and beginners, as he will have a one-week vacation on the 22nd.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

December 15-22, 2006

(177) BLINDFOLD CHESS (Island Times)

George (Kolty) Koltanowski, the greatest showman and promoter that chess ever knew, died at the age of 96 in 2000.

A diamond cutter by trade, he left Belgium before the second world war and created a daily chess column that ran without interruption for 52 years in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Though his tournament results were modest, he wrote more than a dozen chess books and made headlines in 1937 by taking on 34 opponents at once without sight of the board to set a blindfold record of 24 wins and 10 draws.

He even took on chessmaster development team at the age of 94 in 5 simultaneous games, easily beating all of them.

He was a tireless exhibitor and raconteur who entertained fans with his specialty, the knight's tour. Spectators posted random words and phone numbin the 64 squares of a giant chessboard.

Kolty memorized the hodgepodge in seconds and while blindfolded, called out the path required for a knight to touch every square on the board as he recalled these scraps of information in order.

"I don't know how he does it", said his wife. "He can't even remember to bring a loaf of bread from the supermarket."

"Pawns are like buttons," Kolty often said, "Lose too many and the pants will fall down by themselves."

In his newspaper office he played without sight of the board against movie star and chess expert Humprey Bogart, who lost by a mere pawn.

HERE'S THEIR FRENCH DEFENCE GAME:

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Ne2 Bg4 It's too soon to know if the bishop belongs here. Better is 5. ... Bd6 to prepare castling. 6. 0-0 Bd6 7. f3 Be6 8. Bf4 0-0 9. Nd2 Nc6 More flexible is 9. ...Re8 before deciding where to post the knight. 10. c3 Ne7 11. Bsd6 Qxd6 12. f4 c5?! Overly aggressive. More prudent is 12. ...Bf5 13. Nf3 Rae8 13. Nf3 less accurate than 13. dxc5 Qxc5 14. Nd4. 13. ... Nf5 stronger is 13. ... b6 in order to recapture on c5 with a pawn and keep control of d4. Even 13. ...c4 14. Be2 Bf5 minimizes white's initiative. 14. Qd2 Ne4 15. Qc1 Rac8?! A waste of time. Again 15. ...b6 is indicated. 15. dxc5 Qxc5+ 17.Ned4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Rc7 19. f5 Bd7 20. Bxe4 dxe4 21. Qf4 Re8 22. Rae1 Re5 gives up a pawn without a fight and leads to a hopeless ending. The last chance to avoid material loss is 22. ... Bb5! 23. Rf2 Bd3 24. Rxe4 Rxe4 25. Qxe4 Bc6 25. Qe3 black has managed to stave off immediate mating threats but cannot overcome the lethal disadvantage of being a pawn down. Since Kolty is blindfolded, however, there is always a chance he will overlook something. Indeed, he is starting to drift. Sharper is 25. Qf4 Re7 26. f6 Re2 27. Qb8 Re8 28. Qg3. 25. ...Re7 26. Qg3 Re8 27. f6 g6 28. Qh4 the queen is already on a strong outpost and should stay there. Simply 28. Re1 is indicated to challenge the e-file. 28. ... h5 Bogart in turn misses his main chance 28. ... Re2 29. Rf2 Re1+ 30. Rf1 Re2 draws. 29. Re1 Rxe1+ 30. Qxe1 Qd6 31. Nxc6 Qxc6 32. Qe7 Qc8 33. h3 Qc6 34. b4 Qxc3 35. Qe8+ Kh7 36. Qxf7 Kh6 37. Qe7 Qc1+ comes close to drawing--but not quite. 38. Kf2 Qf4 39. Ke2 Qc4+ 40. Kf3 Kg5 making it easy.

The best try is 40. ... h4! Forcing white to find a move like 41. Qe4! in order to win, If 40. ... Qf1+ 41. Kg3 h4+ 42. Kh2 Qf4+ 43. Kg1 Qc1+ 44. Kf2 black will eventually run out of checks. 41. f7 black resigns.

Bogart once worked in a chess stall at Coney Island and was arguably the strongest player in the Holywood community.

Source: Blindfold Chess by Roberto Hernandez

Island Times Newspaper

Friday, April 27, 2007

(171) CHESS OSCAR

BORN ON May 05, 1951, Anatoly Karpov is the most exciting prospect in world chess to emerge since Bobby Fischer and Mikhail Tal.

He has, like those two former world champion, take less than five years to make the transition from promising junior to world championship candidate.

In December 1973, Karpov was awarded the Chess Oscar, well-merited by a string of successes throughout the year, in the course of which he lost but one game.

Even the very few of the pundits were prepared to predict that Karpov would be the man to face Fischer in 1975, though most were agreed that he would meet Fischer in 1978 and that by then he, and he alone, might be able to wrest away the title and take it back to the USSR.

At age 4, he learnt chess from his father Evgeny Stapanovich and became a 3rd category player at 7. He became a 2nd and first category player at age 9.

A Candidate Master, Master, International Master, Grandmaster and World Championship Candidate at age 11, 15, 18, 19 and 22 respectively.

He was the youngest master in USSR history18 won the World Junior Championship that earned him the International Master title.

Other chess Oscar winner were former and retired world champion Gary Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand of India and Judit Polgar of Hungary, the only woman who is in the top 10 of the men's FIDE (World Chess Federation) ranking.


Source: Chess Oscar by Roberto Hernandez
            Island Times Newspaper
            Page 19
            March 29-April 02, 2007

(169) AN INTRODUCTION TO CHESS

CHESS HAS become one of the most challenging sports in the world and learning it may take only a few minutes but the tactics and strategies of the game will take some time.

Practice and natural talent will help you to improve your game rapidly. For those who don't know the game yet, here are the rules of the game:

CHESS BOARD AND MEN (Starting position of the game with letters abcdefgh at the bottom of each square and numbers 12345678 at the left side).

The board is always placed so that the players have a light-colored square on their lower right. Each player has 16 men: one King, one Queen, two Bishops, two Knights, two Rooks and 8 pawns.

The player with the white pieces always begins the game. The players alternate in moving a man from one square to another. The algebraic notation is best suited to describe these moves in a simple, concise manner and it is being used internationally. Only the first letter of he pieces is given -- K for King, Q for Queen, R for Rook, B for Bishop and N for Knight.

HOW THE MEN MOVE AND CAPTURE:

Each chessmen has his own individual way of moving, and with the exception of the pawn, the pieces capture the same way as they move. The Bishop moves diagonally, the Rook, horizontally and vertically and the Knight moves like the letter L. When a knight is in light color, he always move to the opposite color. And it is the only piece that can "jump over" the other men.

The queen combines the power of Rook and Bishop. She has the choice of moving diagonally, vertically and horizontally. She is the most powerful piece of all.

The pawn can go only straight forward. He can move only one square at a time, except on his first move, when he can advance either one or two squares. The pawn is the only man who does not capture the same way as he moves. His capture that is called "en passant" (ep) or in passing, needs specific example.

Let say there is a black pawn on a4 square and white moves his b pawn 2 squares. The black "a" pawn can capture the "b" pawn on b3 square.

It was adopted by the European chess players when they introduced the double step of the pawn some 486 years ago.

After reaching the opposite edge of the board, a Pawn would be unable to move. To avoid this, a rule provides that a player who advances a Pawn to the opposite side must exchange him for a Queen or Rook or Bishop or Knight. This is called promoting a Pawn, or queening him, as in most cases a player would choose a Queen. However, there are some cases in which promotion to a Queen would be inadvisable, or could even lose a game!

If a player still has a Queen, he can still promote his Pawn to a Queen and can have as many as 9 queens. There are only 2 serious games on record in which 5 queens were in action, one played in 1896 and the other in 1915.

The King, the most important of them all, can move in any direction like the Queen, but only one step at a time. When the King is checked and there is no other way to get him out of check, he is said to be checkmated. This ends the game, the King is never actually captured.

HOW GAMES ARE RECORDED:

It is advisable to use the Algebraic instead of English or descriptive notation. Pawn moves are letters abcdefgh. So if white starts 1. e4 it means that the pawn on e square moved to the 4th square. Instead of writing in 1. P-K4, e4 is easier and space saving. 0-0 is castling on kingside and 0-0-0 is castling on queenside.

The symbol x denotes captures. Check is abbreviated +, double check is ++.

So let's try if you can play this game on the chessboard by following these notations: (It was played in London, 1913) 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. g3 Qg5 5. Nf3? Qxg3! 6. hxg3 Bxg3#.

MORE SYMBOLS: ? is mistake; ! is good move; # is mate.

ANOTHER SHORT GAME: (Rudolp vs. Kelin, 1912) 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4 Qh4 5. Kf1 Bb6 6. Nf3 Qd8 7. Bf4 Ne7 8. Ng5 0-0 9. Qh5 h6 10. Bxf7+ Kh8 11. Qxh6+! gxh6 12. Be5#

Next issue, more games, International Chess Federation (FIDE) rules, more basic tactics and strategies, chess puzzles and more.

Keep practicing and remember, in chess, THE SLOWER YOU MOVE, THE FASTER YOU'LL LEARN!

Smile! And say "CHESS".

Source: An Introduction to chess by Roberto Hernandez
Island Times
March 15-21, 2007