A GM NORM FOR MAX ILLINGWORTH
Max Illingworth of Australia, left, scored 5.0 points in the 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship and finished 26th among 73 others. He is just a Candidate Master (CM) then with FIDE rating of 2243. He achieved a GM norm when he won a tournament in Hungary in September 2011. He lost here to FM Endre Ambrus, right, in the 5th round. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
PALAU REGISTERED; 43 MORE COUNTRIES UNREGISTERED YET
THE 3rd invitation from Turkish Chess Federation, host of 40th World Chess Olympiad, was sent to Palau Chess Federation confirming its registration for the coming Olympiad to be held in Istanbul, Turkey from Aug. 27-Sept. 10, 2012. The 3rd invitation read as follows:
Dear Friends, since we have sent the 1st invitation for Istanbul Olympiad 2012, till now (30.05.2012), 134 FIDE member federations have registered and got their usernames and passwords. The list of countries which have not registered yet is given as attachment.
Some of those federations have contacted us but due to their arrears they have not been registered.
We would like to remind you that, 10th June 2012 is the deadline for 1st registration. After that date, there is no chance for us to accept any federation to Olympiad, even if they pay accommodation.
Therefore, we kindly remind you again to hurry and make your registration if your federation name is on attached list.
Sorry if you made your registration between the time this letter is prepared till it has been sent.
Best regards, Ali Nihat YAZICI – Head of Organizing Committee
In the attachment, the 43 countries which haven’t registered yet are 1. Afghanistan 2. Albania 3. Angola 4. Bahamas 5. Bangladesh 6. Belize 7. Bhutan 8. Bosnia-Herzegovina 9. British Virgin Islands 10. Brunei Darussalam 11. Burundi 12. Cambodia 13. Central African Republic 14. Colombia 15. Comoros Island 16. Cuba 17. Cyprus 18. Denmark 19. Dominican Republic 20. Estonia 21. Guatemala 22. Guyana 23. Honduras 24. Ivory Coast 25. Kazakhstan 26. Kenya 27. Kuwait 28. Laos 29. Malaysia 30. Mali 31. Morocco 32. Myanmar 33. Palestine 34. Paraguay 35. RUSSIA 36. Rwanda 37. Senegal 38. Solomon Islands 39. Swaziland 40. Thailand 41. Turkmenistan 42. Venezuela 43. Zimbabwe
It’s interesting to note that Russia is not registered yet. Some sort of strategy?
Menandro Manuel, a member of Palau Chess Team to Istanbul, emailed Roberto Hernandez about the additional requirement that the Turkish Embassy in Manila is asking to all members of the team. It’s a bank certification showing enough deposits to show the financial capability of an applicant. This certification has to be confirmed by the Philippine Ambassador.
Menandro is also asking if the Russian Embassy require this in getting Hernandez and Tito Cabunagan’s visa in going to 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Hernandez replied with this:
Hi Menandro, I think there is no problem with embassy requirement of submitting a bank certification showing enough deposits to show our financial capability. We have to do it next month because the Phil. Embassy will close on July 31, 2012. I have a Bank of Hawaii and Bank of Guam bank accounts (visa card) with more than $2,000 combined total. I think that will be enough. Tito, Bernard and Manik, I think, have enough also.
When Tito and I applied for Russian visa, this is not required but we have to appear there in person. Police clearance (Palau) and NBI clearance though are required. The first question that the Russian Consul asked me is "Do you play chess?"I said, yes and he asked me again, "How many days it will take to get Russian visa", and then pointed at a posted sign on my left. It says there 10 days so I said "10 days, sir." He asked again, "Then, why you only apply now?" I replied, "We applied online, sir, one month ago." He said, "We don't accept online application." I replied again, "That's why, sir, we are asking for the one day issuance of Russian visa because we came from Palau on Wed. evening, got our NBI on Thursday and here we are now asking for consideration.”The one day issuance of Russian visa is on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
He looked again at our passport. He saw in there my Australian visa, Tito has USA visa, and my police clearance stated I've been in Palau for 18 years... then he said, “Ok, you pay this amount to United Coconut Planters Bank and then you proceed to Magallanes Village and I'll call my secretary to assist you.
After paying $78.00, we proceed there and when we submit all the papers including the visa payment, I included there the letter of Ambassador Marino, the xerox copy of our team captain from Australia Jamie Kenmure's visa that he got from Australia and a calling card of mine that states I'm writing a chess column in Tia Belau Newspaper and that I'm the Secretary/Treasurer of Palau Chess Federation.
With all those documents, there's no requirement of bank certification. I think embassies have different requirements. When I get my Australian visa, I included in the documents that I've sent to Ponhpei my 2 bank statements (Bank of Hawaii and Bank of Guam) even though the amount there were $318.20 and $310.93 only. Also included is my pay slip for the month of March 2009, the invitation from Gary Bekker and itinerary (Palau-Manila-Palau) (Manila-Sydney-Manila) and Sydney-Gold Coast-Sydney). That's all.
I saw Tito at Pinoy Restaurant last Friday, May 20 when I had lunch there with my wife. He's talking to the 2 ladies at their table about our coming trip to Istanbul, previous trip to Russia and in 2014 Tromso, Norway.
We will buy our ticket when we get the official invitation from Turkey. One of the requirements in getting Turkish visa is the eticket. About Manik, I have to talk to his employer first. If he will let Manik to go and have a 3-month vacation to Bangladesh after the Olympiad, that depends of Manik's employer. He didn't have a vacation yet in 7 years so I think I can convince him. I played piano on his wedding day at Airai View Hotel.
That's all that I can share for now. Good luck to all and best regards. Roberto.
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 10-11
Volume 21 Issue 37
June 03, 2012
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