Tito Cabunagan (left) and Roberto Hernandez (right)
(Contributed photo of Brian Jones from Australasian Chess Magazine)
CHESSMATE MARKS 8TH YEAR
THE HIGHLIGHTS on the 8th year of Chessmate were the participation of Palau in the 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia and the ongoing 2010-2011 Palau National Chess Championship.
Although they were not allowed to play due to shortness of a single player, Roberto Hernandez and Tito Cabunagan were able to make it to Russia. A minimum of 3 players is required for a team that started in 2008 World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany.
The duo just became observers and tourists with free food and hotel accomodation in the twin Hotel Olympic. Their Australian team captain, Jamie Kenmure, was not allowed to play for Palau also as there is a process in changing federation.
Their Swedish Delegate, Jan Berglund, was not allowed also to play when he can't show proof that he's been to Palau at least once.
The Olympiad was held from Sept. 20 - Oct. 04, 2010 with 144 countries participating in the best -hosted Olympiad ever.
Since the first issue of ChessMate in Dec. 29, 2002, 17 major chess tournaments were held, 2 were invitational with foreign players from New Zealand, Australia and Philippines participated and enabled the top 6 players of Palau to gain international rankings.
Today, in Sept. 2010 FIDE ratings list, Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. and Menandro 'Boy' Manuel are in the top ten of Other Oceania Players with Cyril at no. 6 with 1942 and Boy at no. 9 with 1906.
Joselito Marcos is still the top in this division followed by Shaun Press, also of PNG.
The FIDE rated 2009 Palau National Chess Championship enabled Hernandez (1883) to dislodged Gene Pastrana as No. 3 chess player of Palau with an improvement of only 3
points and Pastrana dropping at 4th after losing 116 points because of his withdrawal more than halfway from the event.
Manuel 'Jun' Mahor got his international rating of 1662 followed by Romeo Caballes, Bernardo Garcia and Michael Mercado with identical 1629 rating.
Palau Royal Resort's Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. is in solo 9th place with 1602 followed by Craig Dittrich (1569) and Elpidio Manaligod with 1540.
In the resumption of play at PRR Dorm 1 on Sunday, Dec. 26, Jun Mahor is now 2-2 (win-loss) after subduing Jeffrey Negrillo in 35 moves of King's Pawn Opening. Jeff is still looking for the elusive first point.
He is now eager to face another Jeff on Sunday, Jan. 02 at 1:00 pm. Jeff Balbalosa, an employee of Surangel's, was accomodated to replace the slot of Jimboy de Jesus, who has withdrawn from the event 3 weeks ago. Jeff will play Ferdinard 'Bong' Gutierrez after his game with Negrillo.
The prospect of having 2 players from Palau to participate in the 2011 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Rotorua, New Zealand will be known on Sunday after the employer of Mohammad Manik Hossain come back from Hawaii.
If Manik will be allowed to go, he will replace Tito for the chance to play in his first international event participation. The Zonal will be held from Jan. 25-31, 2011. An airfare subsidy of $300.00 each is offered to both players.
Paul Spiller, the President of New Zealand Chess Federation, chatted with Hernandez on Dec. 31 about the latest development asking: "Hello, Roberto, are you able to confirm your trip to NZ yet or does it look as though that you will not be able to come. I need to confirm or cancell accomodation bookings very soon."
Hernandez replied: " I have just sent you an email 5 minutes ago." It reads as follows:
"Dear Paul and Brian, I wish you both and your family a prosperous and terrific new year 2011. Mohammad Manik Hossain, who will replace Tito, will know on Sunday, Jan. 02, if he will be allowed by his employer to go with me in Rotorua. I know his boss, Uchel Tmechtul. I played piano in the reception of his wedding at Airai View Hotel in 1995. I might talk to him to let Manik go. He gave me $20.00 tip last Dec. 3 after requesting 2 Filipino songs. He's with Palau President Johnson Toribiong and a Congressman that night at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort. The other day (Dec. 29) was the 8th year that I've been writing "Chessmate" by Roberto Hernandez at Tia Belau Newspaper, Palau's first newspaper. I've been doing it for free but I was able to promote chess in Palau for 8 years. These last 4 years, they are not editing my writing. Whatever I write, they will publish it. Whatever picture I want to be published, they will publish it.
On Jan. 02, also, is my 55th birthday. There are games to be played in the resumption of 2010-2011 Palau National Chess Championship and I'll be happy to accomodate a late entree to play as many games as he can to catch up.
This PNCC is limited only to 15 players but 2 have withdrawn and now there is one late entree so we're 14 now. That's all for now and again, thank you so much for helping Palau chess move forward. Best wishes for the year 2011!!! Roberto
In the latest development, Manik played an official game against Jeff Balbalosa, the late participant at 1:00 pm instead of Jeff-Jeff match because Manik has to work at 3:00 pm.
In a show of defensive prowess and attacking style, Manik clobbered Balbalosa in 40 moves of Scandinavian Defence. He's now won 7 games and lost 5.
In his delight, he promise to buy one case of soda for all employees of PRR living in Dorm 1 if he will beat Palau's top player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. in his last game.
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper Volume 20 Issue 1 January 03, 2011
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