(1487) 2018 FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament on March 10 (TBN-March 05, 2018)

GETTING USA VISA (10 YEARS) WITHIN A WEEK

                  On Feb. 15, 2018, I have an interview at the US Embassy in applying for USA visa. Roger T. Bluestone, right, the Local Guard Force Commander, escorted me to the interviewer, Jennifer Nehez, the mom of my chess/piano student. Roger, his wife and Mr. Ben Asuncion, at left, had dinner at PRR on Sat. Feb. 10, 2018. She requested “To Love Again”, “As Time Goes By” and “Love Story”. After this photo session, they proceed at Breeze Bar of PRR and enjoyed 2 hours of live music. Roger’s wife, to our surprise, can sing Spanish songs—“Amor, Amor, Amor”, Historia de un Amor, Besame Mucho, etc. Many PRR guests filled the place, thinking that there is live entertainment! Eventually, I’ve got a USA visa for 10 years on Feb. 16, 2018 and used it right away (Feb. 22-26, 2018) to attend the Pacific Area Fellowship of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4^th Watch) in Saipan.                       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

2018 FIDE World Chess Candidates

      Tournament on March 10

FIDE announces that the deadline for player’s participation in the Candidates Tournament is 26 January 2018. The event will be held in Berlin, Germany from 8 March (arrivals/opening ceremony) to 29 March 2018 (departures) and the qualifiers are:

1.       Sergey Karjakin (Russia, World Championship 2016 Finalist)

2.       Levon Aronian (Armenia, World Cup 2017 Winner)

3.       Ding Liren (China, World Cup 2017 Finalist)

4.       Shakhiyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, Grand-Prix 2017 Winner)

5.       Alexander Grischuk (Russia, Grand-Prix 2017 Runner-Up)

6.       Fabiano Caruana (USA, Rating Lists 2017)

7.       Wesley So (USA, Rating Lists 2017)

8.       Vladimir Kramnik (Russia, Organizer’s Nominee)

First reserve from the FIDE Grand-Prix standings is Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan). The winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge Magnus Carlsen for the FIDE World Championship title in the last quarter of 2018.

I am being cordially invited to the Official Opening Gala of this event—the semi-final of the World Chess Championship cycle on March 09 at 19:00 in Kuhlhaus Berlin, Luckenwalder Str. 3.

I am welcome to attend the Tournament, which will start on March 10 and last until March 28 at the same venue. A three-week long chess fever, which will determine the challenger to the reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, will start with a gala at Kuhlhaus Berlin, former ice factory—a place most suitable for the coolest minds in the world.

The top 8 Grandmasters mentioned above will compete for the privilege to fight at the World Chess Championship Match later this year.

The organizers are expecting government and business leaders, diplomats and cultural trendsetters to witness these intriguing games with them. They are asking me to join the evening to meet chess stars, appreciate iconic for Berlin paintings by Thierry Noir and tune into Persian sounds mixed with electronic music by Madanii, a Berlin-based trio surrounding Iranian-German singer Dena Zarrin. Cocktails designed by World Chess’s very own mixologist Kenan Assab will help you up your game. The invitation is for 2 persons and is non-transferrable. Please kindly RSVP to rsvp@worldchess.com     Best regards, World Chess Team https://worldchess.com/berlin/ 

 Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3801: 1. Qxg8+!! Kxg8 2. Rh8+!! Kxh8 3. Bf7#

This week’s puzzle No. 4373: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9-10

               Volume 27

               Issue 18

               March 05, 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 -- March 05, 2018

            The History of Chess in Palau

            By Roberto Hernandez

            June 09, 2002 -- March 05, 2018

(1360) CHESS MATE ISSUES No. 601-650 and their LINKS

          CHESS MATE ISSUES 
                No. 601-650
             and their LINKS 

601. CM601     Parrado, Paloma, Balbalosa Missed CM Titles                        Sept. 01, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/parrado-paloma-balbalosa-missed-cm.html

602. CM602     2 Deaths at the Final Day of 2014 WCO in Norway               Sept. 08, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/09/2-deaths-at-final-day-of-chess-olympiad.html

603. CM603     Palau Will Bid to Host 2017 Oceania Zonal Chess Champ.   Sept. 15, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/palau-will-bid-to-host-2017-oceania.html

604. CM604     The Incident on the Opening Round of 2014 WCO               Sept. 22, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/the-incident-on-opening-day-of-2014.html

605. CM605     Development Plan for Palau Chess Federation                      Sept. 29, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/09/development-plan-for-palau-chess-federation.html

606. CM606     2014 PNCC on Oct. 19, 2014 – Jan. 18, 2015                          Oct. 06, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/2014-pncc-on-oct-19-2014-jan-18-2015.html

607. CM607     9-Round 2014 PNCC Postponed to Nov. 02                            Oct. 13, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/9-round-2014-pncc-postponed-to-nov-2.html

608. CM608     WATCH OUT FOR MARCIAL SANTANDER                       Oct. 20, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/watch-out-for-marcial-santander-tbn-oct.html

       609. CM609    KNOW YOUR OPPONENT AND YOURSELF                    Oct. 27, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/know-your-opponent-and-yourself-tbn-oct.html

610. CM610     TICKETS for the 2014 World Chess Championship Match   Nov. 03, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/11/tickets-for-2014-world-championship.html

611. CM611     LET THE 2014 PNCC BEGINS! (Nov. 16)                           Nov. 10, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/11/let-2014-pncc-begins-nov-16-tbn-nov-10.html

612. CM612     FIRST 2 GAMES OF 2014 PNCC                                       Nov. 17, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/11/872-1st-2-games-of-2014-pncc-tbn-nov-17.html

613. CM613     RESULTS OF THE 1^st ROUND of 2014 PNCC                  Nov. 24, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/11/results-of-2014-pncc-tbn-nov-24-2014.html

614. CM614     CARLSEN RETAINS WCC TITLE 6.5-4.5                         Dec. 01, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/12/carlsen-retains-world-chess.html

615. CM615     CHESS NEOPHYTES OF PNCC                                        Dec. 08, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/12/chess-neophytes-of-palau-national-chess.html

616. CM616     GAMES OF 2014 PNCC (Part 1)                                         Dec. 15, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/12/games-of-2014-pncc-part-1-tbn-dec-15.html

617. CM617    BENEFITS OF CHESS FOR YOUTH (Pub. TBN-Feb.2-8, 2009)Dec. 22, 2014

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2014/12/887-benefits-of-chess-for-youth.html

618. CM618     CHESS MATE Marks 12^th YEAR with ITS 618^th ISSUE             Dec. 28, 2014 (Sunday)

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/01/chessmate-marks-12th-year-with-its.html

619. CM619    LAST 30 ISSUES of Chess Mate and THEIR LINKS                   Jan. 05, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/last-30-issues-of-chessmate-and-their.html

620. CM620    Cyril vs. Roberto for Title; Jeff or Tito for 3^rd (TBN- Jan. 12, 2015) Jan. 12, 2015

       http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/01/cyril-vs-roberto-for-title-jeff-or-tito.html

                     

621. CYRIL, JOJO, ANGIE – 2014 PNCC Champs (TBN-Jan. 19, 2015)            Jan. 19, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/01/cyril-jojo-angie-angelil-are-2014-pncc.html

       622. 2014 PNCC Awarding on Jan. 25, 2015                                                        Jan. 26, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-pncc-awarding-on-jan-25-2015-tbn.html

623. Palau Best Chess Players Rewarded                                                               Feb. 02, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/02/palau-best-chess-players-rewarded-tbn.html

624. Shake-Up at Palau Top 10 FIDE Ratings                                                        Feb. 09, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/02/shake-up-at-palau-top-10-fide-ratings.html

625. NEXT CHESS TOURNEY                                                                            Feb. 16, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/02/next-chess-tourney-2-month-preparation.html

626. Roberto Will Skip 2015 OZCC in Sydney, Australia                                        Feb. 23, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/02/roberto-will-skip-2015-ozcc-in-norths.html

627. ALGEBRAIC CHESS NOTATIONS                                                          March 02, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/03/941-algebraic-chess-notations-tbn-march.html

628. All Palau Chess Players’ Games Soon To Be at Chess Base                         March 09, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/03/all-palau-chess-players-games-soon-to.html

629. World Chess Olympiads 1924-2018                                                            March 16, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/03/954-world-chess-olympiads-1924-2018-tbn.html

630. FIDE Ratings – January 2006-March 2015                                                  March 23, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/03/fide-ratings-january-2006-march-2015.html

631. 2006 NEW QUEEN OF CHESS                                                                March 30, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/03/2006-new-queen-of-chess-tbn-march-30.html

632. LEVON ARONIAN WINS 2005 WORLD CUP                                          April 06, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/04/levon-aronian-wins-2005-world-cup-tbn.html

       633. THE NEW 2005 KING OF CHESS                                                            April 13, 2015

       http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-new-2005-king-of-chess-tbn-april-13.html

634. Proposed 2015 PCF Calendar of Events                                                        April 20, 2015

        http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/04/979-proposed-2015-pcf-calendar-of.html

635. CHESS and MUSIC at Breeze Bar of PRR                                                   April 27, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/chess-and-music-at-breeze-bar-of-prr.html

636. 2015 Palau Blitz Chess Championship – May 10, and 17                               May 04, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/2015-palau-blitz-chess-championship-on.html

637. Georgian GM Expelled from Dubai Open for Cheating                                    May 11, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/georgian-gm-expelled-from-dubai-open.html

638. Hernandez, Cabuso Score 5 Straight                                                              May 18, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/1002-hernandez-cabuso-score-5-straight.html

639. Cyril is the 2015 Palau Blitz Chess Champion                                                 May 25, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/1004-cyril-is-2015-palau-blitz-chess.html

640. Who Will Represent Palau in 2015 OZCC in July 4-10?                                 June 01, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/blog-post.html

641. Side By Side at the Closing Ceremony of 2 Olympiads                                  June 08, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/1007-side-by-side-at-closing-ceremony.html

642. 2015 Palau Rapid Chess Championship in July 19-Aug. 16                           June 15, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/1010-2015-palau-rapid-chess.html

643. BUY THE BOOK (G. Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Vol. 1)                June 22, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/1012-buy-book-garry-kasparovs-greatest.html

644. Alcid, Labarda, Suringa Topped I. N. C. Chess Tourney                               June 29, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/1015-alcid-labarda-suringa-topped-inc.html

645. Sisior Family to 2015 World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad In Mongolia         July 06, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/1017-sisior-family-to-2015-world-youth.html

646. INRES IS CHAMPION, ALCID – 2^ND, JOAN GEMOTA-3^RD                July 13, 2015

 http://palau-chess.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/1019-inres-is-champion-alcid-2nd-joan.html

647.  3^rd Tourney of the Year—2015 Palau Rapid Chess Championship                July 20, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/07/1022-3rd-tourney-of-year-2015-palau.html

648.   Christopher Kitalong Joins 2015 PRCC; Cyril Leads, Still Undefeated        July 27, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/07/christopher-kitalong-joins-2015-rapid.html

649.  4 PLAYERS STILL UNDEFEATED; ROUND 5, 6, ON AUG. 2            Aug. 03, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/08/4-players-still-undefeated-round-5-6-on.html

650.   PAX BEATS CYRIL; EXCITING FINALS ON AUG. 16                       Aug. 10, 2015

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/08/1037-pax-beats-cyril-exciting-finals-on.html





Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
              Tia Belau Newspaper
              December 29, 2002 -- March 27, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- March 27, 2017 

(1342) WESLEY SO WIN 79th TATA STEEL MASTERS CHESS TOURNAMENT (TBN-Feb. 06, 2017)

WESLEY SO IN 2010 W.C.O. IN KHANTY-MANSIYSK, RUSSIA

                      (L-R) GM Darwin Laylo, CM Joselito Marcos, GM John Paul Gomez, WIM Catherine Perena, GM Wesley So, FI Roberto Hernandez, Sherylin Cua, Charedee Camacho, Ms. Docena and Rwhy Reyes during the final round of 2010 WCO in Russia. So, who is ranked 48^th in the world in 2013, is now in 2^nd after a very impressive winning of 3 consecutive tournaments with the world’s best chess players. 

                                            (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

WESLEY SO WINS 79th TATA STEEL

   MASTERS CHESS TOURNAMENT

    

IN THE LAST week’s edition of Chess Mate, the update of 79^th Tata Steel Chess Tournament is up to the 11^th round only of this 13-round event that includes current world chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and his challenger Sergey Karjakin in New York 2016 World Chess Championship.

                Wesley So beat Ian Nepomniachtchi straight from the opening, avoided a playoff and became the winner of the 79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee today. Gawain Jones won the challengers and will play the top guns in next year's tournament.

                All potential drama was silenced in a moment. In the final round, which started 1.5 hours earlier, Nepomniachtchi used an offbeat line to treat So's French Defense. It backfired completely.

The Russian player was lost right out of the opening, a most unwelcome development for Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian and Wei Yi. These three players still had a chance to catch So in first place, thus forcing the first playoff in Wijk aan Zee, at least in modern history. The tournament organizers had introduced this rule for the masters for this year, but didn't get to use it.

                On move 28 "Nepo" threw in the towel, and suddenly everything was decided—after less than three hours of play. With the other six games still going, So started accepting the congratulations of the organizers, officials and guests, including Anatoly Karpov, who is visiting the tournament today.

                Karpov, today: "Carlsen has a very similar style as me. In fact, he plays even simpler than I did."

Wesley also defeated Nepomniachtchi at the Baku Olympiad, after the Russian GM had started with 7/7. "He's a great fighter and it's pleasure playing him," So said afterward.

                After winning this tournament, So now has a streak of not losing 56 games in a row. He won the Sinquefield Cup in August last year, then Olympic team gold and individual gold in Baku, then the London Chess Classic and now Wijk aan Zee. Being the hottest man in chess would be an understatement.

                The win in Wijk aan Zee meant a lot to So: "Winning this tournament is huge, with the world champion in it. It's a wonderful start of the year."If this all wasn't enough, So also became the world No. 2 at the end of the day, after Fabiano Caruana lost to Nigel Short in round six of the Gibraltar Masters.

                And so, after three hours of play, all other players were out of contention. For example, the clash between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin, initially billed as one of the key games in this tournament, was just for the history books. Nonetheless it was a game to watch obviously, as the first classical encounter between these players since their 2016 world championship in New York.

                In a surprisingly bloody final round, a total of five games ended decisively. Levon Aronian had only lost one game thus far, but was unlucky enough to face Dmitry Andreikin just when the Russian would play his best game of the tournament.

                Carlsen finished in clear second place because Wei Yi also went down today. It looks like the Chinese player was trying too hard to beat Radek Wojtaszek.

                Baskaran Adhiban qualified from the 2016 challengers, and couldn't have wished for a better tournament. To finish in third place in the masters, with plus-two, is just fantastic. Today he beat Richard Rapport, and despite having done more than enough as far as contractual obligations are concerned, he joined the live show once again.             

                Tata Steel Masters | Final Standings

#	Fed	Name	Rtg	Perf	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	Pts	SB
1		So	2808	2887		½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	9.0/13
2		Carlsen	2840	2826	½		½	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	1	½	0	1	8.0/13
3		Adhiban	2653	2812	½	½		½	½	1	0	½	0	1	1	½	1	½	7.5/13	47.00
4		Aronian	2780	2802	½	½	½		½	0	1	1	½	0	½	½	1	1	7.5/13	46.00
5		Wei Yi	2706	2808	½	0	½	½		1	½	½	½	½	0	1	1	1	7.5/13	44.75
6		Karjakin	2785	2776	½	½	0	1	0		½	½	½	1	½	½	½	1	7.0/13	43.00
7		Eljanov	2755	2777	½	0	1	0	½	½		½	½	½	½	½	1	1	7.0/13	42.00
8		Giri	2773	2750	½	½	½	0	½	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	½	6.5/13
9		Harikrishna	2766	2724	0	½	1	½	½	½	½	½		½	½	½	½	0	6.0/13	40.00
10		Andreikin	2736	2726	½	½	0	1	½	0	½	½	½		½	½	½	½	6.0/13	39.00
11		Wojtaszek	2750	2725	0	0	0	½	1	½	½	½	½	½		½	½	1	6.0/13	35.75
12		Nepomniachtchi	2767	2669	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	½		½	½	5.0/13
13		Rapport	2702	2645	0	1	0	0	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	½		½	4.5/13
14		Van Wely	2695	2582	0	0	½	0	0	0	0	½	1	½	0	½	½		3.5/13

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 15 by CM Joselito Marcos: 1. Bh1 Kxh1 2. Ne2 Kh2 3. Nc3 Kh1 4. Ne4 Kh2 5. Nd2 Kh1 6. Nf1 h2 7. Ng3#. Published in Today, Philippines (Aug. 25, 1996)

This week’s puzzle No. 16: White to move and mates in 25 moves (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              Pages 9-10

             Volume 26

             Issue 10

             February 06, 2017

            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 -- February 06, 2017

          Memoirs of a Chess Amatuer

          My Memorable Games and Compositions

          By CM Joselito Marcos

          Page 429

          The History of Chess in Palau

          By Roberto Hernandez

          June 09, 2002 -- February 06, 2017