(579) OMEGA DEALT NEDIC HIS 2ND LOSS (TBN-July 04-10, 2008)

PALAU'S TOP 4 players are now sporting at least 2 losses in the standings of 2008 Palau National Chess Championship after 2nd seed Jose Omega employed the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence to out-duel Palau first National Master Manny Nedic in more than 40 moves of the crucial top seeds encounter.

The game was played on Tuesday, July 01 as no game was played on Sunday because the 5 players who showed up already played each other.

Koror State Legal Counsel Craig Dittrich, Nedic, Dennis Lara, and Roberto Hernandez of Palau Royal Resort, Omega and venue host Gene Pastrana just practiced blitz chess.

Last week, Elpidio Manaligod was present but Dittrich was not available. In their 5 blitz matches, Omega won the first 3 and lost the last 2. He is in top form now to be the next National Master if he will win the championship.

The other National Master Menandro 'Boy' Manuel has come back from Yap but didn't show up last week. He paid for the registration fee of 2005 Rapid Chess junior champion Em-R de Vera, who haven't play a single game yet.

The other top players with at least 2 losses are Tony Villa, 3rd seed Cyril Montel, Jr. and Hernandez, who are both holding a 5-2-1 win-loss-draw slate.

That single draw might be the deciding factor to Omega's chances as he won 12 and allowed no drawn game. His toughest opponent is Manuel, the co-defending champion and has been Palau top player since 2005.

THE DREADED DANISH GAMBIT--This week's featured chess defense is the Danish Gambit, where 3 pawns were offered to gain rapid development. 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2... at this point, white already give up 2 free pawns but his development is very rapid and about to give up another one.  5. ...Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Nge2 generously giving the 3rd pawn.   7. ...Nxe4 8. 0-0 Nxc3 9. Nxc3   0-0, the best alternative for black.  10. Nd5 attacking the bishop and threatening the neat knight sacrifice on f6.  10. ... Be7? A mistake by Karpovian, the online chess Canadian opponent of Hernandez at chess.com.  11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 12. Qg4 threatening mate on g7.
      Realizing the unstoppable mate after 12. ... g6 13. Qd4, Karpovian resigned as Hernandez avenged his first 2 losses to him in their Sicilian Defence (Svesnikov Variation) and Sicilian Defence (Dragon Variation) games earlier.

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
           Tia Belau Newspaper
           Pages 13 & 15
           Volume 18   
           July 04-10, 2008