(228) CHESS AT THE PACIFIC GAMES

ENJOYING RUSSIA'S FOOD
Tito Cabunagan, left, enjoys the breakfast served everyday at Hotel Olympics. Big watermelons are served even at breakfast. Palau's Delegate Jan Berglund, right, is getting ready to attend the Congress after the meal while Roberto Hernandez will explore the free internet at the hotel's lobby. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



CHESS AT THE PACIFIC GAMES

THERE'S A chance that chess might be included in the Pacific Games. In an email dated July 19, 2005, Calvin Prasad, a Candidate Master from Fiji, wrote:
Dear Mr. Hernandez, I have noticed your application for registration with FIDE, to be tabled at the FIDE Congress in Germany in August. Please extend the full support of Fiji Chess Federation in this matter, and we are excited about the prospect of about having another South Pacific nation FIDE-affiliated. This would increase the chance of chess being included in the Pacific Games in Samoa, in 2007. Do not hesitate to contact me in you need assistance. Regards, Calvin Prasad, Treasurer, Fiji Chess Federation http://fijichess.org cprasad@gmail.com

In the latest development about this event, Jashint Maharaj emailed the newly elected Oceania Zone President Brian Jones stating:
Hello, Brian, Very nice to hear some action already considered. I think that Virgilio de Asa is the exact person to advise you regarding the inclusion of the sports into the Pacific Games (previously the South Pacific Games).
He is currently the Vice President of FASANOC (Fiji Olympic Committee) and as thus he will be able to present these views with the games in mind.
According to my uderstanding there needs to be at least 6 Pacific Island Countries and Territories with established chess federations. Currently, we have 4 (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Palau). It would be good to see further chess communities in other Pacific countries.
There have been some communicationswith Nauru on Dr. de Asa's initiative and he seems to have got some attention with the formation of a playing group.
More on those from him. Looking forward to the Oceania 2011 and happy to see the push the Presidency to increase participation from smaller chess playing nations.
Dr. de Asa will be happy to communicate with you regarding the 2013 event in Fiji. Thanks, Jashint Maharaj jashint_m@yahoo.com

Brian Jones replied: Hello, Jashint, Whilst in Khanty-Mansiysk recently, I met with the President of FIDE member Federation Francaise des Echecs, Jean Claude Moingt. He told me that there is an active chess group in French Polynesia (territory of France). I think we should invite French Polynesia (and New Caledonia) to join the Oceania Chess Confederation as Associate Members. This way we may quickly get our six countries for chess in the Pacific Games.
Best wishes, Brian Jones. PS Please see http://papeeteolympiqueechecs.blogspot.com/

The officers and members of Palau Chess Federation will hold a meeting on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 17) to tackle the issues of holding the 2010 Palau National Chess Championship, its date, venue, time control, rules to be followed and other aspects of the game.

Some minor corrections about Joselito Marcos that was published in the last edition: He started using the Russian notation in the late '70s when he saw a copy of former world chess champion Anatoly Karpov's chess notation in Russian.

He is a civil-structural engineer (with master in engineering education). He took up Bachelor of Laws on chess scholarship and his doctoral studies were overtaken by employment in Abu Dhabi and Papua New Guinea.

He led the Law Department Team to a 3 successive gold medals in the annual intramural meet.

He is also the author of a number of engineering books published both locally (Cabanatuan City) and nationally (Philippines).

His only weakness perhaps is in music where he doesn't know the title of the song "Eternal Flame" by Bangles. But he knows the tune.


Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13 & 15
Volume 19
Issue 42
October 18-24, 2010