October 8-15, 2004
Deja vu
THE 2004 Open Chess tournament concluded last Sunday, October 3 with the winners almost matching the standings of the 2002 All-Filipino Chess tilt.
Eddie Grefiel, with a 6-1-1 win-loss-draw record, had won the title since last week and the last crucial game between defending champion Jess Toldoya (3-1-4) and Roberto Hernandez (5-2-1) ended in a fighting draw in 58 moves of Dutch Defence.
With the draw, Hernandez clinched the 1st runner-up and Jimmy Valenzuela (4-2-2) got the 2nd runner-up honor after winning the tiebreak over Toldoya (19-13) using the Sonnenborn Berger system of tiebreak.
The points of Valenzuela and Toldoya's opponents whom they defeated were added to their points.
Solkoff system is now being used worldwide in tournaments held under the Swiss system format.
The current tourney is single round-robin in Class A and double round-robin in Class B.
Toldoya settled for 4th place while former champion Menandro Manuel (3-4-1) edged Bong Alipoon (3-4-1) for 5th to 6th place respectively.
Alipoon defeated Ivan II Chess Computer and Manuel in his last games of the tournament while Toldoya trounced Ivan II Chess Computer (3-5-0) in the first game.
WINDING UP THE CLASS A DIVISION ARE: Ivan II (7th), Cyril Montel, Jr. (8th) and Joel Azana (9th).
In the 2002 tourney, Valenzuela was the 1st runner-up and Hernandez, 2nd.
The last game of the 2004 Non-master chess tilt between Toldoya and Hernandez also ended in a draw that made Toldoya the champion.
In the Class B division, newcomer Dennis Gonzales, a 26-year-old accountant of Hanpa, spoiled Mariano Agustin, Jr. (or JR as he is commonly known) bid for a first chess title by defeating him in their 2nd game.
A win is all JR needs to tie Jose Omega to force a sudden death match that will determine the champion.
Omega clinched his 2nd Class B title by defeating Gonzales twice. The 2nd game was the turning point with Gonzales ahead by a knight.
Omega could have drawn the game by repetition of moves but found a winning endgame tactic to force a victory because Gonzales' knight could not prevent the promotion of Omega's 2 isolated pawns on both wings.
Jerry Sermeno and Morton Sawaichi were both absent and their games aginst Gonzales were defaulted.
Gonzales garnered at total of 5 points to tie Den Canaria who was not able to play because of job requirement. They decided to split their matches.
Canaria clinched the 2nd runner-up honor by drawing his last 2 games against Ivan II Chess Computer (arbiter's decision).
The awarding of trophies, cash prizes and certificates will be held on Sunday, October 10 at Filco Thrift Mart in Malakal, the site of the tournament sponsored by Nestor Canaria, who will donate also the cash prizes for the champion ($30.00), 1st runner-up ($20.00) and 2nd runner-up ($10.00).
The format and date of the next tournament will be discussed after the awarding ceremony.
There might be time for a blitz chess competition (10 minutes) to be called The Consul General Julius Torres Blitz Chess Festival in honor of Torres who introduced blitz chess tourneys to be held after the completion of every tournament in Palau.
Solution to last week's puzzle: 1. Bxg5+! Kxg5 2. Qg7+ Kh5 3. g4 mate.
This week's puzzles: White to play and mates in 2
(Solution -- 1. Qh6 Kd7 2. Qe6 mate. If 1. ... Kb7, then 2.
Qa6 mate)
White to play and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
(PHOTO)
VENUE HOST, SPONSOR
Nestor Canaria, left, tournament venue host and trophies sponsor, poses with Mr. Domingo in the penultimate round of 2004 Chess tournament. Jerry Sermeno and Cyril Montel, Jr. face separate opponents (background). (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
October 08-15, 2004
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