(452) VILLA BAGS FIRST BLITZ CHESS TITLE (TBN-Nov. 17-24, 2006)

Tony Villa, who practiced chess with Philippines National Master Allan Sayson, captured his first blitz chess title in Palau with an almost perfect score of 11 wins and one draw in 12 matches held Sunday, November 12 at Jean's Boutique and Store.

He said his specialty in blitz is 3 or 5 minutes for each player to finish the game. The favorite format in Palau is 10 minutes but it doesn't affect his play as he demolished the opposition in convincing fashion.

After drawing his first game with Palau's top player NM Menandro Manuel (4-5-3), he swept all of his opponents: NM Manny Nedic (4-3-5 win-loss-draw record), Roberto Hernandez (7-5-0), Cyril Montel, Jr. (3-5-4), venue host Gene Pastrana (2-9-1) and Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich (3-7-2), who was given an extra 5 minutes in his time.

In the last game of the event, Dittrich was given a knight odd by Hernandez, who recovered the piece but Dittrich handled his pair of bishops very effectively that led to Hernandez' downfall as he had to give up his rook for a pawn.

Half of the registration fee were spent on drinks while the other half was given to champion who spent almost all of it on drinks.

Knights and Rooks Chess Club is happy and proud to have Villa as an addition to the increasing quality of games played in Palau.

In a special regular rapid chess game held on Saturday, November 11, Edwin Eti, who is sponsoring the $100.00 cash prize of the event, clobbered Nedic but lost in their 2nd game.

Villa is doing good also in the ongoing rapid chess tilt as he scored 3 points in 4 games by beating and drawing with Eti and Montel, Jr. while Nedic bounced back from his 5th week loss to Hernandez to outwit him in a drawn endgame.

Eti drubbed Dittrich and Hernandez swept Montel, Jr. wherein in the 2nd game, Montel, Jr.'s clock expired with an overwhelming advantage of a queen against 2 pawns.

Next year's tournament will select the 2 representative of Palau to Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Fiji and Villa and Manuel might be the best that Palau will have to send to put the small island of Palau in the chess map.

THE 2006 PALAU INVITATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL TO HAVE THE TOP 6 PLAYERS OF PALAU GAINED INTERNATIONAL RANKINGS AS THEY SCORED AT LEAST 3 POINTS IN 9 GAMES.


Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
November 17-24, 2006