(216) FIDE Standard Pairing of 22 Players in NCC

OCEANIA ZONAL AND GOLD COAST OPEN CHAMPIONS

Newest Australian Grandmaster (GM) David Smerdon, left, and British GM Gawain Jones pose with Palau representative Roberto Hernandez, right, and Papua New Guinea rep Joselito Marcos. Smerdon clinched the Oceania Zonal plum and will represent the region to the World Chess Cup while Jones won the Gold Coast Open participated in by 119 players mostly from Australia. Retired GM Ian Rogers won the Gold Coast Open 8 times.                                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

FIDE STANDARD PAIRINGS

FOR 22 PLAYERS IN NCC

ON WEDNESDAY night, August 19, Roberto Hernandez had drawn the players' numbers in the 2009 Palau National Chess Championship in front of 5 other participants (Gene Pastrana, Andres 'Aying' Mestizo II, Flavin Andres, Masum Billah and Gene's son Ken Pastrana).

The 6 contestants alternately picked the players number as follows: 1. Michael Mercado 2. Gene Pastrana 3. Jaime Guevarra 4. Menandro Manuel 5. Tutii Joe Chilton 6. Flavin Andres 7. Tito Cabunagan of PPUC 8. Craig Dittrich 9. Roberto Hernandez 10. Elpidio Manaligod 11. Mario Ramos 12. Mohammad Manik Hossain 13. Masum Billah 14. Elizalde Madrinan 15. Zaldy Necia 16. Cyril Montel, Jr. 17. Hasan Mamud 18. Ken Pastrana 19. Andres Mestizo II 20. Val Vidar 21. Paquito Suringa, Jr. 22. Jose Misael de Jesus.

Interestingly, four players drew their own names: Ken, Aying, Roberto and Masum.

Practice games followed after the drawing with Roberto teaching Masum how to write chess moves while playing with chess clock.

Masum learns very fast but always forgets to press his time clock. He lost a bishop in the middle game that led to his defeat. He was taught also of touch move, en passant and proper way to capture a piece.

Aying and Gene practiced blitz chess without clock. Their regular training partner Jose Misael de Jesus or Jimboy as he is popularly known, had left Palau to attend the funeral of his mother.

Craig had practiced with 4 others last Tuesday night and confirmed his participation. Flavin is now studying IT but says he can find some time to play in the NCC. He is also being urged to run as PRO in the forthcoming election of officers of Palau Chess Federation.

Tutii Joe Chilton said he can't run for office but willing to be included in the Board of Directors and will participate in the NCC to gain international ranking.

Tito Cabunagan of PPUC was included in the list through Cyril Montel, Jr. while incumbent chairman Francis 'Sno' Temaungil will run for re-election.

Menandro Manuel will try to find others for the top post. Roberto and Gene will run as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

Morton Sawaichi can't be contacted if he's running for office. Also included in the election is the PCF Delegate/Coach where Jan-Olav Berglund (Sweden) and Jamie Kenmure (Australia) being considered as candidates if they will agree.

Others included in the Board of Directors position are Manuel, Montel, Jr., Jaime Guevarra, Aying, Jimboy, Mario Ramos and Paquito Suringa, Jr.

In his email to Joselito Marcos, Ric Ambatali, Raymond and Daniel Lapitan, Hernandez extended his invitation to the 4 overseas players to participate in the next Palau Invitational Chess Championship to be held sometime in 2010.

Lito, from Papua New Guinea, had a FIDE rating of 2200 that he got when he scored 10.5 points out of 14 games in 2002 Bled, Slovenia World Chess Olympiad.

Ric Ambatali is a part-time chess coach in Australia and will participate in Surfer's Paradise Open where GM Alexie Shirov of Spain will be the top seed.

The father and son tandem of Raymond and Daniel are invited also if they can find time for vacation in the Philippines before proceeding to Palau. The 4 players can communicate on what date is the most convenient for them.

Teaching kids to play chess while they're young is a good option for parents. Cyril asked for help of what materials he can use for his 6-year old daughter.

The Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker of Australia responded generously and will send materials to be used also for young and interested kids in Palau to learn chess.

This might be a jumpstart that Palau needed to make the sport more popular.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Pages 13 & 15

Volume 18

Issue 34

August 24-30, 2009