(616) 3-PLAYER AFFAIR IN BOTH DIVISIONS (TBN-Sept. 30, 2013)

 

YOUNGEST CONTESTANTS OF 2013 PNCC
     Kyarii Sisior, right, is the youngest contestant of the ongoing 2013 PNCC at age 4. The next youngest is her opponent here, Kate Celiz, daughter of Jose, at 7 years old. Destiny Sisior, middle, is next at 9 years old. Their participation gets a big nod from many players abroad--PNG's Joselito Marcos, Australia's Gary Bekker and many more.
                                                       Photo by Roberto Hernandez


              3-PLAYER AFFAIR
            IN BOTH DIVISIONS 

THE FINAL 2 weeks of 2013 Palau National Chess Championship will be decided with 3 players in both the Top 12 Division and Reserves Division fighting it out for the title.

                4^th seed Jose Celiz has the best chance to clinch the title if he will win his game against Rustum Cabuso, a revelation in this event. The other player who has a chance to catch up with Celiz is Candidate Master Bernardo Garcia of Palau Pacific Resort.

                The undefeated Celiz has 6.5 points in 7 games. The same 6.5 points was acquired by Garcia on 6 wins, a draw and 2 losses after clobbering Eugenio Pastrana. His last 2 opponents are Cabuso and Nilo de Jesus. Garcia dealt Paquito Suringa, Jr. his 5^th straight losses in 55 moves of English Opening in a special game held on Thursday, Sept. 26 at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1.

                Cabuso needs to win his last 4 games (vs. Garcia, Celiz, de Jesus and Rafael Paloma) to claim his first title and a National Master title! He’s got 5 wins and 2 losses.

                Top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. bowed to Celiz in the last game of the 8^th week of PNCC in 30 moves of Caro-Kahn Defence that makes his chance for the title go slimmer. He needs to win his last 4 games against Eugenio Pastrana, Jeff Balbalosa, Roberto Hernandez and Suringa, Jr. and hope that Celiz will lose to Dennis Gonzales, who suffered another setback from Balbalosa in 67 moves of Slav Defence.

                Their game lasted till 6:30 pm and it’s getting dark. The Celiz-Montel match was transferred to nearby concrete bench with lights from the post while 2 observers used their cell phone flashlights to brighten up the endgame battle of Gonzales and Balbalosa.

                On Saturday at 8am, Balbalosa dealt Suringa his 6^th straight setbacks held at the latter’s residence near Mason’s Hardware. The other 2 remaining games of Jeff are against Cyril and de Jesus.

                Rafael Paloma will play his 2^nd game vs. Hernandez on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 2pm. He will then play a rapid time control game vs. Suringa at 4pm and a 3^rd game against Garcia or Cabuso or whoever is available among 7 other players. His 2 games against de Jesus and Tito Cabunagan, who’s gone to Philippines on Friday, Sept. 26, were declared draws. The Suringa-Cabunagan match was also a draw.

                In the Reserves Division, Remrel Dizon played a special game against Bangladeshi bet Mohammad Manik Hossain on Fri. and won to tie Eugene Labarda in the leadership with an identical 5-2 win-loss slate. The other player with a chance for the championship is Alfredo Pacenos, Jr., who trounced Jon Manuel ‘Sib’ Reyes in 43 moves of Sicilian Defence.

                Manuel Mahor, Jr. (3-1) has a good chance to be champion also but his inability to play at least one game a week hinders his chances. He needs to play 7 games in 2 weeks.

                Manik will play Glen Navarosa in the same place of the Suringa-Balbalosa match at 2pm on Sat. where Manik scored another victory to keep his chances intact for the top 4 slot.

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Rc8+!! Qxc8 2. Qxg7+!! Rxg7 3. Rxg7 mate.

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

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 13 & 11

               Volume 22 

               Issue 78

               September 30, 2013