(253) SLIGHT CHANGES IN PLAYERS LINE-UP

WAVES RESTAURANT IN AUSTRALIA AND PALAU ROYAL RESORT
After setting up the Oceania Zonal Chess Championship venue, the group had a lunch at Waves Restaurant, a few meters from the venue, Outrigger Twin Towns Resort. Roberto Hernandez, left, plays piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort. He asked the waitress to take a shot of this photo: from right, Jamie Kenmure, a journalist who interviewed Hernandez about Palau chess for his radio program in Australia; Bernie Saavedra--chess school teacher; Dr. Charles Zworestine --chief arbiter of the Zonal and Scot, a technician. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

SLIGHT CHANGES IN PLAYERS

LINE-UP

EVERYTHING is ready for the 2009 Palau National Chess Championship with just a slight changes in the roster of 22 players.

Youngest participant Ken Pastrana skipped this year's NCC as the school starts 6 days prior to the start of the event.

His place (no. 18) was filled up by Joel Flor, who was forgotten by Roberto Hernandez in the drawing list.

Four days before the start of the NCC, another unsure player withdrew. Bangladesh national Hasan Mamud (no. 17) was replaced by Romeo Caballes, who already paid his registration fee of $10.00 and was taught how to write chess moves by Hernandez on Sunday afternoon.

Prior to that, Tito Cabunagan of Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC) have paid his registration fee and practiced with Rolly Jardenaso and 2nd seed Cyril Montel, Jr.

A few minutes later, Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. practiced with Caballes and defeated the rusty Suringa, Jr. in all of their 3-game practice.

Pax is still rusty as he lost another 3-game practice with Palau Royal Resort Japanese section cook Elizalde Madrinan held at PRR Dormitory 1.

The NCC will start on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at D. J. Cruz General Merchandise premises.

The schedule of the game matches was already posted by Hernandez with players having the white pieces 11 times or 10 times and vice versa with the black pieces.

Hernandez also added a chess table using the stand of his Yamaha keyboard to accomodate more players while venue host Gene Pastrana and Andres 'Aying' Mestizo II are practicing without chess clock.

Players are informed that Sunday is the playing day of the tournament but due to different schedules of players, they can play in any agreed day, time and date at the tourney's venue or at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1.

Players are requested to provide the organizers with their day off or available time for games other than Sunday.

Joselito Marcos, the Papua New Guinea representative to Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Australia had already posted in his website The Chess Connoisseur an article about the Palau National Chess Championship including pictures.

Hernandez is sending him some short write-up about Palau chess that he will feature in his website. Also included is a brief info about the Republic of Palau.

He gave Hernandez a tip for his success in the event: Don't memorize variations in your "by-the-book-moves preparations". Understand the ideas and plans behind the moves. Among the chess quotes in my website reads: "Chess openings teach you opening, endgames teach you chess!" Also be patient, don't rush."

Hernandez didn't keep this advise a secret and sharing it to give knowledge also to others.

During the Oceania Zonal, Lito subscribed personally to FIDE Master (FM) Brian Jones of Australia Chess Magazine and he received on August 20, 2009 the September-October issue.

Onl the cover of the magazine is the group picture in the Oceania Zone Developmental Meeting which was suggested by him after the meeting.

Also in the magazine, Chief Arbiter Dr. Charles Zworestine wrote the article for the Zonal. Among the foreign entries other than New Zealand, Hernandez was mentioned first followed by Solomon Islands rep Fernando Aguilar, then Lito and Rupert Jones of PNG, and the Fijians Manoj Kumar, Calvin Prasad and Goundar.

Each were given a paragraph, except for Damien Norris who was cited only on round results.

HERE'S THE PART ABOUT HERNANDEZ:

"Let us consider the Palau representative, Roberto Hernandez, a player who nearly did not make it after he missed his connecting flight from Sydney to Gold Coast, and ended up in Brisbane instead! Fortunately, several phone calls later from my deputy arbiter IA Gary Bekker, he made it via a bus at 2 am the day before the event... A poor start at 0/4 was the results; would it get better? Yes! A bye, then finally a win over Harry Hughes in a rook and opposite colored bishop ending pawns ahead. After 2 more losses, in the final round he beat David Cigelj via a pawn fork winning a piece. In the end 3/9 and valuable experience for Roberto, not too bad..."

On June 27, 2009, after 4 rounds of grueling chess at Gold Coast Open participated in by 118 players, Hernandez is watching Wimbledon tennis on TV when Dr. Charles came and also watched the game. He is very knowledgeable about tennis and Hernandez asked him, "Do you think Steffi Graf's record of winning all Grand Slam events and Olympic title will ever be broken or duplicated?"

He answered that Summer Olympics is held only every 4 years and the chances of breaking Steffi's record is really very slim.

He also knows the men's winner of Grand Slam twice, Australian Rod Laver in 1962 and in 1969.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Pages 12-13

Volume 18

Issue 35

August 31-September 06, 2009