Five Palau chess players in this photo are bound to 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway. Front left, Palau's no. 1 Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. will be board 1. He's playing against Menandro Manuel, currently no. 2 of Palau -- to play board 2. Tito Cabunagan, middle, will be board 4 while CM Bernardo Garcia will be board 3 again. Baby Edna Mission, will be board 2 in the women's team while Jeff Balbalosa, middle, will be the women's team captain. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
MANY chess masters say that in order to know your opponent, you must at least study 40 of his games.
Spending just one hour for a game, it's already 40 hours.
In the 11th round of the 2003 Senior and Junior Open Chess tournament, 3rd seed Roberto Hernandez studied only 17 of top seed Cyril Montel, Jr.'s games.
The former surprised the latter with a d4 first move which Montel, Jr. seemed to be unfamiliar with.
He spent less than a minute to ponder his first move against a queen's pawn opening.
He tried 1. ... e6 to lure Hernandez to convert it to French Defence but he continued with 2. c4 and there goes Cyril's uneasiness with handling the black pieces against a d4 opening.
He lost a knight on the 17th move, a rook on the 21st move, his queen on the 32nd move and resigned afterwards.
With the win, Hernandez, with an 8-1-2 win-loss-draw record can clinch the title with a win or 2 draws in his last 2 remaining games.
Montel, Jr. (6-4-1) is still in the running for 1st runner-up if he can win his last 2 games.
Menandro Manuel, who is absent in the last 3 weeks, finally showed up and replayed his previous default losses to Francis Cuenco (2-9-0) and Jimmy Valenzuela (5-4-2).
He won over the two but was upset by Mike Miguel, Jr. (4-4-3). He then defeated Danny Dandoy (4-3-4) to climb from 8th place to 2nd spot.
The Saturday's game between Bong Alipoon (5-3-2)and Jose Omega (6-3-2) was postponed due to Alipoon's job requirement in Ngaraard.
Amante Caballero (4-4-3) defeated Ivan II Chess computer on Tuesday, Nov. 25 in 26 moves of Scotch Four Knights Defence. He and Alipoon drew their game on Sunday by a default draw.
Ivan II Chess Computer (6-4-1) defeated Mario Ramos (3-4-3) in 32 moves of a Four Knights Defence.
Ramos, with the black pieces this time, gave back the sacrificed knight on the 18th move with a pawn thrust and kept the initiative when he missed a rook retreat on the 29th move and lost another piece and the game.
Another replayed game was between Montel, Jr. and Eugene Koh (2-6-3) with the same result. Montel, Jr. won and he also won his default draw game between him and Norbert Villanueva (0-5-5).
Jess Toldoya (4-4-3) drew with Rolando Funa (0-7-4) and Villanueva also drew with Jun Mahor (5-3-3) by a default draw.
In the junior division, former champion Jayrome Soriano (13-3-1) clinched the 1st runner-up honor with a victory over John Page (5-10-0).
Ricky 'Jun-Jun' Camacho (12-3-3) edged out Chris Domingo (11-5-0) for 2nd runner-up plum.
New champion Charles Aquino (13-2-2) won by default over Dmitri Villanueva (1-11-4).
Wrapping up the remaining players are: Rodnnie Dizon (9-7-1), Kelvin Cuenco (6-11-1), Ivan II Chess Computer (4-10-3) and Jovani Adachi (1-12-3).
PENULTIMATE AND FINAL ROUND PAIRINGS:
(If all games will be completed, December 14 will be the awarding day for the trophies designed and made by Palauan Hirm Isechal).
Manuel vs. Mahor; Omega vs. Mahor; Ramos vs. Hernandez; Hernandez vs. Cuenco; Ivan II vs. Miguel, Jr.; Alipoon vs. Omega (Sat.); Valenzuela vs. Alipoon;Villanueva vs. Valenzuela; Montel, Jr. vs. Dandoy; Funa vs. Montel, Jr.; Nilo de Jesus (5-5-1) vs. Ramos; Toldoya vs. Caballero; Koh vs. Toldoya; Funa vs. Koh; Villanueva vs. de Jesus; Dandoy vs. Caballero; Cuenco vs. Ivan II Chess Computer and Ramos vs. Miguel, Jr.
Jose Omega will be a major sponsor of the next tournament to be held on January 11, 2004 at Paul Brothers Tri-M General Merchandise and Food Retail in Malakal. He is donating $100.00 cash to the champion.
Solution to last week's puzzle: 1. Nh2+! gxh2 2. Rf2+ Kg1 3. Rf1 mate.
This week's puzzles: (1)White to move and mates in 3
Solution: 1.Ra7+ Nxa7 2. Qb6+ Ka8 3. Nc7 mate
White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
December 05-11, 2003
No comments:
Post a Comment