(269) MANIK IS OUT; PALAU TEAM REDUCED TO 6

TONET'S TURN TO BE FEATURED
Tonet Medilo, middle, have been featured twice in this column but always with a group. This time she is the center of attraction while watching the official game between Ferdinand 'Bong' Gutierrez and George Anzawa in the 2011 Palau National Chess Championship held at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



                     MANIK IS OUT;
          PALAU TEAM REDUCED TO 6

MOHAMMAD Manik Hossain was allowed by his employer to participate in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey to be held from August 27-September 10, 2012 after their meeting on Thursday, August 09.

Roberto Hernandez and Manik started the completion of necessary documents to process Manik’s Turkish visa within 2 weeks before Palau’s team departure on August 24.

Hernandez gets the opinion of Menandro Manuel if Manik can still make it. His wife Elizabeth was the one who worked to acquire the Turkish visas of 4 members of the team, including hers.

At this late time, she can’t do it because she’s also very busy with her job as Division Chief, TBMD of Philippine Trade Training Center and the time available to send back Manik’s passport is really unrealistic.

With the time frame short, Menandro suggested that Manik has to go to Philippines and work on his Turkish visa by himself. But it is very risky and expensive for a first-time in Manila to acquire it and Manik dislikes this idea.

And with the expensive airfare non-refundable, Manik finally accepted that this trip is not really for him to happen this year.

If he had been firmed to his commitment to be a part of the team more than a month ago, he could have done it. He had planned a 3-month vacation to Bangladesh after the Olympiad but it is too long for his employer to allow and Manik is also hoping that his employer might shoulder at least half of the airfare because he hasn’t have a vacation yet in 7 years.

He was allowed to go finally but he has to shoulder all his expenses on airfare by himself. Even though it’s too much, he’s still willing to go but the shortness of time to get his Turkish visa is the one major obstacle to his dream of playing in an Olympiad.

If things were possible, he’s planned to stay longer in Turkey and to proceed to Greece and Italy for a few days tour to take advantage of the 15-day free full accommodation at the Olympiad, like what Menandro and his wife will do after the Olympiad. They will proceed to Italy, France and Germany for 5 days, back to Istanbul again before going back to Manila.

Now Manik is looking ahead to the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway like Tito Cabunagan, who also didn’t make it because of job schedule conflict.

Jeff Balbalosa committed first for 2014 World Chess Olympiad and if the current tentative line-up for Palau Chess team to Norway will push through, Manik will be the team captain of the women’s team composed of Angie Parrado, Elizabeth Manuel, Paz Ngiratechekii and probably Adele Anzawa will make it this time to Norway in November 2014.

So the final composition of Palau Chess Team has been submitted by Team Captain Jamie Kenmure and it is as follows: 1. Roberto Hernandez (player) 2. Elizabeth Manuel (player, Head of Delegation) 3. Bernardo Garcia (player) 4. Menandro Manuel (player) 5. Jamie Kenmure (Captain) 6. Jan Berglund (FIDE Delegate).

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              Pages 10 & 13

             Volume 21

              Issue 55

             August 13, 2012