(361) CONTROVERSIAL 2012 PNCC

A LOT TO BE LEARNED FROM 1 GAME
This controversial game between Jose Celiz, left and CM Bernardo Garcia has been the subject of positive disputes that only strengthen the players' knowledge about the FIDE Laws of Chess. A lot of learning experiences, that will be applied to the next tournaments next year.
                                                                           (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



     CONTROVERSIAL 2012 PNCC

IT WILL go down in history as the most controversial Palau National Chess Championship—the 2012. The final day was held on Dec. 16 at Palau Royal Resort’s Conference Room. Its target date of conclusion was in Dec. 02, but due to Typhoon Bopha, it has finally concluded on Dec. 16… NOT QUITE!

Candidate Master Bernardo Garcia, Palau’s first titled player, emailed Palau’s Rating Officer and Team Captain of 2010 and 2012 World Chess Olympiads Jamie Kenmure about the result of his game against Jose Celiz on Nov. 17 that sparked a lot of controversies.

During the last dying seconds of that game, Celiz lost by time forfeit but complained about the increment that didn’t work. Menandro Manuel, Roberto Hernandez, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Baby Edna Mission and Jon Manuel Reyes were watching the game and confirmed that the 30 seconds increment of the clock is really not working.

After a few days of researches of FIDE Laws of Chess, Hernandez, who is also the chief arbiter of the event, declared that game a draw. The tournament goes smoothly with some additions and replacements like—Freddie Gloria replaced Ma. Florida Hernandez; Nilo de Jesus became active again after 7 years of being inactive and off island. He replaced lawyer Scott Hess, who couldn’t play 14 games in 6 weeks.

Manuel‘Jun’ Mahor’s confirmation to participate makes the Class B (1650 rating and below) increased its field to 18 players. More players would like to join so Hernandez convinced Ferdinand Gutierrez to join even though he’s leaving Palau for good in just a few weeks.

This action opens the room for Geoff Martin, Mary Frances Lopez and Baby Edna Mission to complete the 21-player Class B division. Mission replaced Lenge Gibbons and when Gloria withdrew, Miguel Hilario, Jr. is lucky enough to fill the slot in the last 4 weeks of the event.

The tournament is to be finished in 8 weeks. Celiz played only 4 games in 6 weeks and played 6 games on the 7^th week, which is very unfair to players who come every weekend, like Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., the top seed. When Garcia suffered setbacks after setbacks, his quest for his first national title is on the line and he somehow came up with a proposal to thwart his suspicion of game fixing especially to players of the same company.

Tito Cabunagan and Celiz both work at PPUC and live at the same place. And they are both in contention for a slot in the top 4 position. Garcia proposed to have a playoff among the top 4 finishers like a semifinal with the top 2 advancing to the finals.

Garcia’s insistence of having a playoff became more intense when he found a law in FIDE Laws of Chess that players of the same company/federation should play in the first 3 rounds and not in the last 3 rounds.

When Tito and Jose played their 2 games, the result was a win and a draw for Tito, which Bernard accused as ‘fixed’ as there are no witness when they played it. When Tito and Jose replayed their games on Dec. 02 during the lashing of Typhoon Bopha, the result is the same with Hernandez and Montel, Jr. as witnesses.

Garcia emailed everybody that he is taking a break from chess for the rest of the year and that he is giving his slot to the next player in case there is a playoff. His un-played game against Gonzalo Escapatoria will be recorded as (+) to Escapatoria and (–) to him. This is being done to all FIDE-rated events.

Nine players have a meeting after the Pacquiao-Marquez 4 boxing bout on Dec. 09 to tackle the issues of game fixing, playoff and finishing the event as the original format. After 2 hours of meeting, it was decided that the tourney will proceed as its original format. No playoff and last games will be played on Dec. 15 and 16. Absent players will lose by default to present players in the Class B while the un-played games in Class A with be recorded as (+) to the present player and (-) to the absent player.

The last crucial 4 games of Class A are: Montel vs. Escapatoria (2 games); Suringa vs. Montel; and Celiz vs. Suringa. Montel arrived first on Sat. Dec. 15 but Suringa is very busy cooking the food for PRR Christmas party to be held at Sea Passion Hotel. Montel is also attending the PPR Christmas party at Ngarchmayong.

On Dec. 16, Montel and Escapatoria drew their 1^st game and Montel won the 2^nd game. His next game vs. Suringa didn’t happen as well as Celiz vs. Suringa. In the Class B division, only few games were played and the present players all won by default that resulted in the 8^th place finish of 8-year-old Destiny Sisior.

Final standings of Class B: 1. Dennis Gonzales (Champion) 2. Jeff Balbalosa 3. Angie Parrado 4. Miguel Hilario, Jr. 5. Baby Edna Mission 6. Nilo de Jesus 7. Jon Manuel Reyes 8. Destiny Sisior 9. Luciano Sibayan 10. Jaime dela Cruz 11. Mohammad Manik Hossain 12. Ferdinand Gutierrez 13. Angelil Sisior 14. Ksau Anthony Whipps 15. Dan Roldan 16. Zachary Techall Whipps 17. Geoff Martin 18. Elpidio Manaligod 19. Mary Frances Lopez 20. Manuel Mahor, Jr. 21. Paz Ngiratechekii.

Cabunagan was the champion of Class A and after computing the placing of Hernandez (8 points), Celiz (8 pts.), Montel, Jr. (7.5) and Garcia (7.5), the same order was the result. Hernandez won over Celiz by using the Sonnenborn Berger system and Montel over Garcia in direct encounter or winner over the other tiebreak.

Cabunagan and Celiz disputed the (+) and (-) computation but when Hernandez explained to them that they experienced this computation during the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, they are going to abide by this FIDE rule. AND THAT ENDS THE 2012 PNCC… NOT QUITE!

In his email to Kenmure, Garcia specified that Celiz clock fell down and he didn’t lodge a protest before his time expires. This is a legitimate claim by Garcia according to FIDE rules. It happened also to former world champion Gary Kasparov in his game against Hungarian whiz Judith Polgar in Linares, Spain in 1994.

But there is a technical problem in the increment that’s why Celiz lost on time. If the increment is working, there’s no way that Garcia will win with Celiz ahead by 2 connected pawns. And besides, Garcia found out about that ruling 3 weeks after the incident which was already been declared a draw by the arbiter.

That half point is crucial for Garcia to improve his rating as he would be 1^strunner-up instead of 5^th place. That will make Hernandez 3^rd, Montel at 4^th and Celiz at 5^th.

IT’S REALLY A CONTROVERSIAL 2012 PNCC UP TO THE END AND BEYOND!

Requesting all players who haven't paid their registration fees yet--please pay as soon as possible so that the arrears of Palau Chess Federation will be paid before Dec. 31, 2012 the sum of 387 euros. 1. Jose Celiz ($20.00), 2. Mohammad Manik Hossain ($20), 3. Paquito Suringa, Jr. ($10), 4. Jon Manuel Reyes ($10), 5. Luciano Sibayan ($10), 6. Jaime dela Cruz ($10), 7. Elpidio Manaligod ($10), 8. Mary /Frances Lopez ($10), 9. Paz Ngiratechekii ($10), 10. Adele Anzawa ($20), 11. Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. ($10) and Gene Pastrana ($297.00).

I'll take your advise for a special 10th year anniversary issuev of Chessmate on December 31. I'll be giving 3 prizes of $10.00 for each person who will solve the puzzle of the 10th anniversary issie of Chessmate. The first issue was on Dec. 29, 2002.

Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Pages 8-9

Volume 21

Issue 93

December 24, 2012