(433) PALAU INVITATIONAL CHESS TILT TO BE HELD AS SCHEDULED

AN email from Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker confirmed the scheduled 2006 Palau Invitational Chess Championship to be held at Palau Royal Resort from August 31 - September 04, 2006.

Paul Spiller and Hilton Bennett, both from New Zealand are confirmed participants as well as Bekker.

Philippines and USA National Master Marlon Bernardino is having a financial constraints with his sponsor and airfare. If he can't make it, Mr. Bekker will find a replacement so that there will be 4 FIDE rated players to make the event a rated tournament and will allow the top 6 players of Palau to gain international ranking if they score at least 3 points in 9 games.

In the ongoing National Chess Championship, 2nd seed Jose Omega swept Palau Chess Federation chairman Francis 'Sno' Temaungil in both 20 and 21 moves of Sicilian Defence.

Temaungil also lost his 2nd round game to venue host Gene Pastrana of Jean's Boutique and Store.

The trophies and $100.00 brilliancy prize are donation from Pinoy Express through its manager, Manny Kimpo.

In the crucial game of the day, Jess Toldoya outwitted 6th seed Manny Nedic in 48 moves of a Queen's Pawn Game to solidify his quest of landing in the top six to qualify in the inaugural invitational championship.

He is not sure yet if he will participate or act as an arbiter with Temaungil as earlier agreed.

Due to the absence of Palau No. 3 player Bong Alipoon, the last spot and the reserve player are still open.

In the first game of the day, Menandro Manuel, who just came back from vacation, scored a full point over Palauan bet Morton Sawaichi to stay in 3rd place behind Nedic and Cyril Montel, Jr., who showed up but didn't play a single game.

A 4-player blitz chess tourney was held in between regular games and Omega emerged as the champion with a 5-1-0 win-loss-draw record.

He lost his last game to Pastrana after clinching the title with 5 straight wins.

He swept Roberto Hernandez and Nedic and kept the half of the prize money and the other half was spent on drinks.

Pastrana finished 2nd with 3-3-0 slate while Nedic and Hernandez were tied at 2-4-0.

Hernandez is now working at Dragon Tei/Teppan Dragon/Donburi Dragon since June 23 and his schedule for the rest of the busy Japanese holiday will be affected.

He can stay only up to 6pm on Sundays so Pastrana will take care of the rest of the responsibilities of Hernandez after 6pm.


Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13
August 14-25, 2006