ALIPOON WINS 2 GAMES, SITTING!
SINCE JUNE 2002, 9th seed Bong Alipoon never sits down while playing chess. Last Sunday, February 13 in the 5th round of the 2005 Regular Chess tournament, he collected 2 wins playing seated and upset erstwhile leader Jose Omega and 8th seed Jimmy Valenzuela to snap his string of 9 consecutive tournaments where he played 146 games (including blitz and excluding default losses) without sitting!
Omega resigned on the 48th moved after Alipoon forked his king and rook with a knight of a Ruy Lopez.
In a roller coaster performance of the day, Valenzuela bounced back from defeat and clobbered Gene Pastrana but lost again in the last game of the day to Ivan II computer.
Most Improved Player honoree Lin de Guzman continued his awesome start and dealt Palauan bet Morton Sawaichi his 8th losses and stopped new leader Menandro Manuel's winning streak by halving the point with him in a complicated game that Manuel don't wish to continue as it is dangerous to explore winning lines.
Manuel destroyed Ivan II Chess Computer by using his favorite Queen's Gambit Declined opening that he also used in his last game of the 2004 Rapid Chess tourney that coincides with the Knights and Rooks Chess Club's Christmas party.
His game with Ivan II was displayed on the giant chessboard that looks like a world championship match where the crown can get a glimpse of the position from afar.
In the first game of the day, newcomer Eric Espartero suffered another heartbreaking loss to Omega in just 23 moves of Scotch Game. Omega offered a bishop sacrifice on the 22nd move that Espartero easily accepted but didn't anticipate a queen check on b6 that leads to mate in two.
It was another tough loss for Espartero who happens to play his first 3 games and 5th game against the top 4 seeds (Cyril Montel, Jr., Roberto Hernandez and Manuel).
Seventh seed Jess Toldoya came back from vacation and was present in the 5th round of the 2005 Regular Chess tournament held at its temporary venue, Image Restaurant.
He was asked if he would like to catch up and said he will skip this tilt again that is being sponsored by the officers and members of Palau Paradise Lions Club.
The renovation of its headquarters beside Palasia Hotel and Galaxy Video Center is now almost done and maybe another week at Image Restaurant and then the tournament will resume at its original venue.
There's no news yet about the trophies of the 2004 Rapid Chess tournament where the Filipino Community in Palau (TFCP) sponsored those trophies.
Junior champion Em-R de Vera and Chris Domingo were absent in the last three weeks of the tournament where they will play against seniors with a rook or knight handicap.
Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
February 18-25, 2005
BONG ALIPOON 75-57-14 win-loss-draw record, standing!
Lin de Guzman, 2nd from right, receiving his Most Improved Player (MIP) bishop-shaped trophy from Knights and Rooks Chess Club Chairman Roberto Hernandez while "roller coaster" player Jimmy Valenzuela is ready to execute a move against Cyril Montel, Jr. Bong Alipoon, left, and Menandro Manuel, 3rd from left, are regular participants to almost all chess tournaments in Palau. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
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