(516) ALMOST AN NM TITLE FOR JOSELITO MARCOS (TBN-July 15, 2013)

SAME AS YOU 
     Joselito Marcos, right, is flanked by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, when the latter visited the National Polytechnic Institute of Papua New Guinea recently.Lito teases Roberto by saying, "If you have a photo of you and Palau President Johnson Toribiong, I have also a photo with PNG's Prime Minister." The two really have many things in common.
                                        (Photo by Joselito Marcos) 

         ALMOST A NM TITLE FOR

              LITO MARCOS IN 1991 

Joselito Marcos of Papua New Guinea became the best friend of Roberto Hernandez when they first met in Australia to represent PNG and Palau respectively for the first time.

Since then, their friendship goes deeper and deeper from Russia in 2010 World Chess Olympiad and in Palau during the 2011 3^rd Palau Invitational Chess Championship.

Health problem prevented him to participate in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey but he’s always online watching the development and games of the Olympiad. He usually gives advises to Palau Chess Team members especially Roberto and Bernardo Garcia, who acquired the first FIDE title of Palau, a Candidate Master title.

A few months after the 2012 Olympiad, he single-handedly worked on how to achieve a CM title that should have been given to him when he scored enough points at 2002 Bled, Slovenia World Chess Olympiad.

He is now a CM and in their latest conversations about how many chess masters does he knows, he shared the following wonderful experiences when he almost gain a National Master title in 1991 in his final round game against Idel Datu, who eventually gained that title in the following story:

“I’m reminiscing… when I missed out on NM title in a game vs. Idel Datu, who went on to get his in 1991. GM Jayson Gonzales, Philippines Open Team Captain at 2012 Olympiad, was there telling Datu that he could not underestimate Joselito.”

“He nearly made a losing blunder but he spotted it in the end because Lito rose from his chair in excitement. Datu looked at him and at the board… then he perspired, regained his composure, and changed the move written on his score sheet (today, it is not allowed doing this).”

HIS HUMBLE SHARING COMMENTS: “Whatever I have shared to Palau is my way of giving back from other’s goodness.”

A short email to Lito by Roberto is as follows: “Thanks for the info about GM Mark Paragua. I don’t have an idea about all of it. You really know a lot about almost all chess players in the world. Even when we’re in Russia, you easily recognized GM Nigel Short personally than me even if we chat regularly on Facebook before the Russia Olympiad.

If not for your recognition of him, I might have missed that photo session with Nigel.”

Lito answered “Thank you for the compliments. As always or most of the cases I happened to be where the actions are.

We were in the same hotel with the Philippine team in 2oo2 Bled, Slovenia Olympiad. GM Paragua’s father Ric Paragua, a civil engineer like me, and I have talked at least 2 times during meals. Then again, we met in a rapid tourney in Baliwag, Bulacan Philippines in 2010 where I learned about GM Paragua’s  marital situation and need.

However, he didn’t seem to remember me and I didn’t bother to remind him. Why? Grandmasters Bong Villamayor and Jayson Gonzales always talk and approached me when opportunity arises during tournaments we are together.

The Philippine Masters who do not know me were wondering who I am that they are talking to intently.  Bong, while he was just a NM was my guest in the house but he never mind not sleeping as we analyzed some of my games and gave me pointers.

In Bled, he was already a GM, still we also analyzed 2 of my games, one won and one drawn.

He pointed a couple of missed wins in the middle game and in the endgame of the drawn game.”

                Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1.

                This week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9 & 11

               Volume 22

               Issue 56

               July 15, 2013