(604) DEJA VU 2: ARMENIA RETAINS CHESS OLYMPICS TITLE (TBN-Dec. 01-07, 2008)

IN THE 2006 World Chess Olympiad in Torino, Italy, there was a controversy about Palau's proxy vote for FIDE President.

The Palau Chess Federation had given their proxy vote to former and honorary lifetime president of FIDE Florencio Campomanes. He visited Palau in May 11-14, 2006.

But the opposition camp of Mr. Gary Bekker has asked for another proxy vote. After the problem has been resolved, Palau proxy had been finally given to Mr. Casto "Toti" Abundo, the Deputy President of Asian Chess Federation.

The same thing happened in the final week of 2008 World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany when Mr. Campomanes has asked for proxy of Palau to vote in the FIDE Congress that coincides with the Olympiad.

An earlier letter was sent to Mr. Jan Berglund confirming him as the official Delegate of Palau.

He was hired in January to act as Palau Delegate and has done his job superbly despite financial problems that led to eventual withdrawal of Palau men team and the denied participation of Palau women's team that's composed of professional and retired teachers from British Virgin Islands.

Mr. Berglund was still able to represent Palau in the Congress and Asian Continental Meeting and Toti voted for Palau in the selection of the Chess Olympiad site in 2012 where Budva in Montenegro and Istanbul in Turkey are the last 2 remaining contenders to host the prestigious event.
 
Istanbul won a clear victory by unofficial 92-40 votes among 152 participating nations, which is a record in Olympiad. 

Mr. Berglund also submitted a budget proposal for Palau for 2008-2010 for Administration, 3 Annual Invitational Tournaments 2008-2010, Participation in FIDE tournaments 2008-2010 School program where the 4 teachers for British Virgin Islands will come to Palau to teach chess in 10 schools in Palau.

Their school work in Palau is honorary as well as Mr. Berglund's, whose contract will expire at the end of November. 

His contract will be renewed as his dedication to help in chess development in Palau is very sincere.

The amount of the proposed budget is 170,00r 0.00 euros and will be delivered to CACDEC as Chess in Schools, Asian Chess Federation and the Oceania Zone President with the idea of receiving a portion of the expenses from each one of them.

The Asian Chess Federation President Sheik Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nehyan says that he might be able to find some solution for the airfares while FIDE Chess In Schools chairman Professor Uvencio Blanco will be visiting South East Asia in June 2009 according to an already existing plan. After negotiations, he has now added Palau to be visited during this trip.

At the end of 2008 World Chess Olympiad, Armenia retained the title that they won for the first time in 2006 Torino, Italy Chess Olympiad. 

Israel got the silver medal and USA the bronze. The surprise team is Vietnam, which finished 7th. The Philippines' best placed finish is also 7th, in the 1998 Chess Olympiad in Thessalonica, Greece.

The original chess team of Palau to the Olympiad held a blitz chess contest on Sunday night at Jean's Boutique and Store with Palau no. 1 Menandro Manuel reasserted his supremacy by topping the event over NM Manny Nedic, Cyril Montel, Jr., Roberto Hernandez, Gene Pastrana and Dennis Lara.

The participation of Hernandez became possible because he is on annual leave till the end of November. Another blitz chess contest might be held on Nov. 30.

Hernandez won the Palau Royal Resort theme songwriting contest held on November 24 with his rendition of his original composition of "That Is Origin8" with the singing and dancing performance of his co-department PRR beauties Lorna Castaneto, Ella Asuncion and Shirin Dy.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
            Tia Belau Newspaper
            Pages 13 & 15
            Volume 17
            December 01-07, 2008           

   

 

 

(153) CHESS POLITICS (TBN-Feb. 09-15, 2009)

CHESS POLITICS



IN THE Turin, Italy Chess Olympiad in 2006, Palau became a victim of chess politics with the election of new World Chess Federation (FIDE) president coincide with the Olympiad.

Honorary lifetime president Florencio Campomanes came to Palau on May 11-14, 2006 to get the proxy vote of Palau. He is pushing for the re-election of incumbent president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov while Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker of Australia supports Mr. Kok of The Right Move party.

On the election date, both parties claimed the proxy of Palau and eventually it was awarded to Campomanes after Roberto Hernandez, the Permanent Delegate of Palau to FIDE, faxed the final letter that invalidated the previous two proxies.

The whole story of this incident was published in the July 21-28, 2006 issue of Chess Mate.

And in the 2008 World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, Palau became a victim again of chess politics. This time, the stake is not that high as it is not an election year.

It happened on the eve of November 22, 2008 when Campomanes called Hernandez at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1 asking for a proxy of Palau Chess Federation for the Asian Chess Federation Continental Meeting and FIDE General Assembly 22-26 November 2008 in Dresden, Germany.

The PCF has already assigned and hired Mr. Jan Olav-Berglund to be Palau's Delegate since January 2008 to the end of November 2008.

Before sending the proxy letter on PCF letterhead, Hernandez emailed Mr. Berglund about it . HIS REPLY IS AS FOLLOWS:

"Dear Mr. Hernandez, Have you already sent them your proxy? Who signed this proxy in that case? I was just about to deliver my paper to the FIDE office when I received this email from you. Could it be that your proxy has not gone through yet? To me the proxy is not important in itself, but it gives me more authority when discussing help and cooperation for us with chess friends all over the world. I have stayed here in Dresden all the time to try to fight for us. I could have left a week ago and save a lot of money for my trip to Palau, if I had known that you do not want me to represent you at the Congress.
It is because of chess politics that you did not get your visas and your sponsorships. It is because of this chess politics that we are not represented in this Olympiad in spite of actually having a team here, equally legitimate as many other teams, who are actually playing.
It is because of chess politics that four former professional teachers, now retired, who would like to spend a lot of future time in Palau, together with me, to impose chess in schools according to a well functioning chess program.
I am now hesitant to what to do myself. I have spent a lot of time to prepare for a pleasant chess future in Palau after I now have finished all my doctor's appointments, operations, treatments, I hope.
Instead of chess politics I would like to work on chess development. That is what I am good at. How do you want me to act? I am not the person who threaten or force anything. If anyone wants to cooperate with me, it must be out of mine and their own free will. Whatever you decide, I'll go along with. Best wishes, Jan

C H E S S P O L I T I C S,    anyone?



Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
February 09-15, 2009

(152) 3rd Amb. Marino Cup Cancelled; Part 2 of Mr. Berglund

HAVE BEEN TO TORINO AND RUSSIA OLYMPIAD
Robert Smith, left, was the Board 1 player of New Zealand in 2010 Russia Olympiad together with his wife in the NZ women's team. The couple have been to 2006 Torino, Italy Olympiad also and have this picture taken with Mr. Jan-Olav Berglund. They have a short reunion in Russia after 4 years. (Photo by Bessie Rave)



3RD AMB. MARINO CUP CANCELLED;
PART 2 OF MR. BERGLUND

MR. JAN Olav-Berglund have been an organizer/arbiter at many international tournaments, matches, invitationals, Swisses, and of course of national tournaments at all levels as well as coach at various international tournaments for juniors and for seniors, male and female, teams and individuals.

Hee was also in the chess mail order business, like Gary Bekker, for about 20 years. He was a major dealer in Northern Europe and was also represented with a booth at the Olympics in Thessaloniki, Greece both times, Dubai and Novi Sad.

He had written about 25 books published on his then chess book company and a couple published elsewhere.

In the mid-90's he was the headmaster of a state run chess college for national and international students in Sweden. Unfortunately, the Swedish economy went down then and about 360 sports schools were reduced to 36.

The two government chess colleges (The Chess Federation run one of them, he and former world champion Anatoly Karpov run the other one) had to shut down and have not reopened since.

He is continuing being in touch with some of his students by email since then. He still have in his possession a 16,000 volume chess library where the President of Asian Chess Federation is interested to have.

Some top players of Palau still don't believe that Mr. Berglund exists. For them, to see is to believe and seeing Mr. Berglund to come to Palau is the ultimate reason for them to believe.

The chairman of Palau Chess Federation Francis 'Sno' Temaungil was given a copy of all emails of Mr. Berglund (from September 27, 2007 - December 2008) by its Secretary/Treasurer Roberto Hernandez. Another copy was given to Gene Pastrana and he was requested to lend it to other unbelievers for referral.

Mr. Berglund also suggested to have a yearly election of officials of Palau Chess Federation.

Philippine Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino, the top chess supporter in Palau, has cancelled the 3rd Ambassador Marino Cup due to tight budget caused by world economic crisis.

In his conversation with Hernandez on Sunday evening and Monday morning, he said PCF should now concentrate in the Oceania Zonal Tournament in 2009 (the first international step to qualify for the World Champion title) to be held in Brisbane on the Australian Gold Coast on June 20-26, 2009.

The Ambassador promised to get a discount for players airfare from Philippine Airlines. The Australian Gary Bekker, President of Oceania Zone, has promised that one male and one female players from Palau will get full board and lodging and free entry to the Zonal.

The players need to shoulder their own air tickets and visas, which cost $75.00 and will take one month to process as the embassy here will forward it to Pohnpei and the applicants need to shoulder also the payment for its return.


Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             January 12-18, 2009