(66) CHESSMATE 40 CLASS A, B FINALS ON

FINALLY.

Menandro Manuel, left, defeated Ivan II Chess Computer for the first time after losing the first 2 games and drawing the 3rd.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE FIVE-round classification is now over and 8 players qualified for Class A and 4 woodpushers to a double round-robin Class B.

The Class A qualifiers are Eddie Grefiel (4.5 points), Ivan II Chess Computer (4), Bong Alipoon (3.5), Jimmy Valenzuela (3), Cyril Montel, Jr. (3), Joel Azana (3), Roberto Hernandez (3), Jess Toldoya (2.5) and Menandro Manuel (2), who edged out Jose Omega (2) in tiebreak, 14-13.

Class B will have Omega as top seed, followed by Mariano Agustin, Jr., Den Canaria and Morton Sawaichi.

Edward Agravante, a potential Class A player, will take a vacation and withdrew from the field. His withdrawal will make an uneven round so the chairman decided to include Ivan II Chess Computer as participant in Class A and Class B (double round-robin).

The tourney will conclude on October 03 and the awarding ceremony will be on October 10 as scheduled.

There will only be 3 trophies to be given in Class A and 2 in Class B. The host and sponsor of the event, Nestor Canaria, is sponsoring 8 trophies.

There might be an agreement that he will just put in cash prizes instead of 3 trophies. The $15.00 extra registration fee of Class A players for cash prizes might be reduced.

In the final round of classification, Ivan II Chess Computer dealt Canaria his 4th straight loss after winning the opening round game.

Sawaichi missed a winning line and was mated by Hernandez in 25 moves of Pirc Defence. With the loss, Sawaichi dropped all his first 5 games of the tournament but he is not to be taken lightly due to his agressiveness and perseverance.

His main concern is his carelessness. He borrowed 3 books to improve his game.

Defending champion Jess Toldoya and Mariano Agustin, Jr. were both absent and their game was declared a default draw. Alipoon won by default over Agravante to be the number 3 seed in Class A.

Canaria borrowed a book (28th Chess Olympics) that is written in algebraic notation. It is an interesting book that reveals important facts about Olympic chess.

It is also where the Philippines placed 7th, its best ever, and the emergence of Polgar sisters of Hungary to the top of women's chess.

Sawaichi borrowed The Sicilian Dragon, Rook Endings (the most difficult of all endings) and Tal's Best Games of Chess.

Manuel had The King's Indian Defence, while Montel, Jr. borrowed The Principle of Chess that shows how to mate your opponent with King, Knight and Bishop ( the most difficult one because if you can't mate your adversary in 50 moves, it will be declared a draw by 50-move draw rule).

Valenzuela borrowed Chess by Edward Lasker, the book that has the most pages.

Solution to last week's puzzle:

(It is composed by Voller)

1. c6+! Kxa7 2. Kg1! The key move! The natural Kg3 loses after 2. ...Ka8 3. Kxa3 Ba7 4. Kg4 Bd4 5. h4 Bc3 6. h5 Bxa5 7. h6 Bc3 etc...

2. ...Ka8 3. Kh1! Ba7 draw by stalemate.

Source:

Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

August 13-20, 2004