From left, Jess Toldoya, Michael Velarde (in white cap), Karen Gennibeth Hernandez, Danny Dandoy and Menandro Manuel are all winners in the ongoing 2004 Non-Master Chess tournament. Their final standings will be determined on the last day of the tourney on Easter Sunday, April 11. Partly hidden (far left) is Charles Aquino, the kid's division defending champion. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
LAST Sunday's penultimate round was the most exciting one in Palau's chess history.
A new champion will be determined in the final round on Sunday, April 11. Mario Ramos will get his first ever chess trophy after six tries.
Danny Dandoy will likewise get his first trophy in four tournaments he participated.
Nilo de Jesus is back and promises to continue to support chess, especially the kids in Palau even if he is away.
The touch moves protests have been resolved.
A one-day blitz chess tournament was organized and to be called "Consul General Julius Torres Blitz Chess Festival".
A string of upsets was recorded in the penultimate round of the 2004 Non-Master Chess tournament held on Palm Sunday, April 04 at Paul Brothers Tri-M General Merchandise and Food Retail in Malakal.
The sponsors are tournament venue manager, Jojie Casinas (9 trohpies), Jose Omega ($100 to the champion) and Nilo de Jesus ($50.00 to the top 3 finishers in the kid's division).
11th seed Mario Ramos, with a final win-loss-draw record of 9-4-1 defeated 4th seed Cyril Montel, Jr. (7-6-0) after the latter lost a rook for a pawn.
Former champion Menandro Manuel (8-3-3) drew with de Jesus (1-8-4). They later drew their next 3 practice games.
12th seed Jess Toldoya (9-1-3) bested Manuel in their Sicilian Defence game (Najdorf Variation).
Manuel later defeated Montel, Jr. in the replay of their protested 11th round match in March 21. Montel, Jr. conceded the other protested match against Toldoya.
8th seed Mike Miguel, Jr. (9-3-1) upset top seed Ivan II Chess computer (4-4-5) in 33 moves of a Four Knights Defence with the black pieces.
The last game of the day was between 5th seed Jimmy Valenzuela (4-7-2) and Ivan II that ended in a draw where Jimmy had a king, a knight and a pawn against Ivan's king and a rook.
THE OTHER 3 GAMES WERE DEFAULTS: Co-host Lin de Guzman (5-8-0) d. Amante Caballero (0-8-4); Manuel d. Mariano Agustin, Jr. (3-7-3) and Dandoy (9-4-0) d. Agustin, Jr.
It is now down to the wire final round match between idle 2nd seed Roberto Hernandez (6-5-1) and Toldoya on Sunday, Aprill 11.
A draw or a win will do it for Toldoya, who might become the lowest seeded player to win a title.
A loss will tie Toldoya with Miguel, Jr. assuming that the latter win his final game against Dandoy. A win by Dandoy will clinch him the 1st runner-up and Toldoya will become champion whatever the result of his game against Hernandez.
A win by Dandoy will also put Ramos, Miguel, Jr. and Manuel to fight it out for 3rd, 4th and 5th finishes. The Sonnenborn Berger system of tiebreak will be applied to break the tie.
In the kid's division, it is also a dogfight between defending champion Charles Aquino (10-1-1) and Karen Gennibeth Hernandez (11-1-1) after she defeated Michael Velarde (2-0) in their best of 3 game series last Sunday.
Ricky Camacho showed up and won by default over Georby Domingo.
The crucial Aquino vs. Velarde and Hernandez vs. Aquino matches will determine the champion and 1st runner-up.
Solution to last week's puzzle: 1. Bg6+!! Kxg6 2. Rg4+ Kf5 3. Qh5 mate.
If 2. ... Kf7, then 3. Rg7 mate.
Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
April 09-16, 2004
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