(651) MUSIC AND ME (Nov. 22, 2013) 5 JAPANESE GUYS ENJOYED MY MUSIC

PLEASE COME BACK TO PALAU AGAIN SOMEDAY
    These 5 Japanese (one left earlier) enjoyed my Japanese and American music on Saturday, Nov. 09, 2013. All their requested songs (American and Japanese) I was able to play without looking at the songbook. These 4 guys in this photo gave me $10.00 each after giving them all my card. When I say, "Please come back to Palau again someday," they answered surely they will come back again to Palau. "Matta, ne!"
I'm so sorry that I didn't even have a chance to get their names.
                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez) 


  5 JAPANESE GUYS ENJOYED MY MUSIC

ASIA Pacific Coordinator of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Pastor Gallagher 'Gali' Concepcion visited Palau Locale from November 07-11, 2013.

During his stay, I was able to attend Morning Devotion on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Prayer meeting on Friday, Sunday School/Services, 4th Watchers Service and Evangelistic Night on Sunday evening.

The Saturday Morning Devotion is the most hard for me because I was able to sleep only 3 hours (1:30-4:30am) and sleep again after breakfast (7-9am), teach Anthea keyboard from 9:10-10:55am and Shinji from 11am-1:00pm. Have quick lunch and teach chess to Dichem Tmetchul from 2-4pm.

I sleep again from 4:15-6:15pm. Took a shower, have dinner and play piano at Waves Restaurant from 7-9pm. Got no tip from there but very lucky at Breeze Bar when I play keyboard, there are 5 Japanese guys in front of me.

At first, they don't appreciate my music but when I play "Sukiyaki", they began to sing. I followed it up with "Oribia O Kikinagara" and some more Japanese songs. Then I gave them my 2 songbooks (American and Japanese songs) and they started to enjoy when all their requested songs were played and they sing-along with it.

This young Japanese guy requested the most number of songs --Honesty, Hotel California, etc. At 11:00pm, I announced, "Kyo no uta wa saigo made, Doumo arigatou gozaimasu. Okyakusamu -nemoi." It means that the show is over because guests are already sleeping.

Then I gave them one by one my card after the 2nd guy from left gave me $10.00 tip. When I gave the card to the other 4, three of them gave me $10.00 each with the young Japanese guy in this photo being the last one to give me tip.

SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOMEDAY IN PALAU!!!

                                                              CONTINUATION OF
                    MY REPERTOIRE OF 
                 INTERNATIONAL SONGS  


                                                                              G

1982    GAANO KADALAS ANG MINSAN (Basil Valdez) (Filipino Song)                    OPM60

            GAANO KO IKAW KAMAHAL (Celeste Legaspi)                                            OPM32

            GAMES OF MAGIC (Bread)                                                                               DB263

            GAO SHAN QING (Evergreen Mountain) (Taiwanese Song)

            G E   AU   (Taiwanese Song)

1969    GET BACK (Beatles)                                                                                            R   213

            GIMME HOPE JOANNA (Eddy Grant)                                                               B   218

1980    GINTONG ARAW (Bing Rodrigo)                                                                     OPM199

            G I R L   (Beatles)                                                                                                 R   236

            GLORY OF LOVE (Peter Cetera)                                                                        B   248

            GOLDEN SLUMBERS (Beatles)                                                                         R   206

            GOODBYE GIRL (Bread)                                                                                     DB264

            GOODBYE MY LOVE (Japanese Song)                                                               J      13

            GOODBYE TO LOVE (Carpenters)                                                                      DB265

1973    GOODBYE YELLOW BRICKROAD (Elton John)                                               G    65

            GOOD DAY SUNSHINE (Beatles)                                                                       R   189

1936    GOODNIGHT IRENE                                                                                           G      8

1982    GOT TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC (David Pomeranz)                                                B   320

1982    GOT TO LET YOU KNOW (Tito Mina) (Filipino Song)                                     OPM167

            GREENFIELDS                                                                                                     B   202

            GRANELLO DI SABBIA (Italian Song)                                        

1965    GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME (Tom Jones)                                                V    35

            GREEN LEAVES OF SUMMER (Peter, Paul & Mary)                                          DB266

            GREENSLEAVES

            GUAM BEAUTIFUL ISLAND (Chamorro Song)                                      

1963    GUANTANAMERA (Sandpipers)                                                                         DBI 35

            G U I L T Y   (Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb)                                                       DB146

Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)

               The Beginning Of Chess In Palau

               By Roberto Hernandez

               November 2013

               To be published as a book in the future 

(650) GREAT POTENTIAL IN CHESS PUZZLE SOLVING (TBN-Nov. 11, 2013)

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH (DIFFERENT YEAR)
     Leizl Michael, left, participated in the 2013 Palau Rapid Chess Tournament and 2013 PNCC but don't have international rating yet. Her FIDE I. D. Number is 16600479. She been the Employee of the Month (August 2013) while Marilyn Alonzo, right, has been the EOM in October 2011. 
                                  (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

                 GREAT POTENTIAL IN 
              CHESS PUZZLE SOLVING
   

ROBERTO Hernandez is supposed to be teaching Dichem Tmetchul one hour piano lessons and one hour chess lessons every Saturday afternoon like the previous times.

                On Nov. 09, 2013, he started to teach Dichem how to solve chess puzzles (usually white to move and mates in 3) last week but this week is devoted to mostly puzzles. They exceeded already the chess timetable by 20 minutes but Dichem chooses to continue because she practiced piano already that week.

                Roberto was amazed by his discovery of Dichem’s talent in solving chess puzzle! Out of 11 puzzles that he set for her, she missed the right answers only in the 8^th and the 11^th , which is the most difficult as the 2^nd move is very critical and can’t be seen or imagined by a 10-year-old chess neophyte.

                Dichem also learned how to read and follow chess moves from a book. Her first game that she followed by setting the chess board from its starting position was the Ghitescu vs. Donner match in 1967 in Beverwijk.

                On the 19^th move, she was asked to check the position if it’s the same as the one in the diagram. And the lesson begins about the strategy and tactics of hunting the opponent’s king by sacrificing a piece or even a queen.

                The inclusion of Dichem to the Palau Chess Team to 2014 World Chess Olympiad is an idea of Roberto so that if there is at least 2 withdrawals from the women’s team, she can fit in handily as she is with his dad, Senator Mlib Tmetchul, the Head of Delegation of Palau Chess Team.

                Her inclusion also ‘waken’ some women players to really commit to the team as Board 2 player Gladys Anne Paloma inquired this early to Roberto about the requirements to be prepared.

                Roberto’s firm answer is the roundtrip airfare in going to Norway, to be shouldered by each members of the team. It will be one of the requirements in getting Schengen visa, which is acceptable to 17 other European countries.

                Roberto didn’t mention yet the other requirements such as health insurance, bank account, company’s service certification that allows that employee to have a vacation, visa fee ($75.00 in 2008), passport (including the old ones), police clearance, and letter of invitation from the Norwegian Organizing Committee.

                Gladys don’t have a standard international rating yet because of some conflict in the recently concluded 2013 Palau National Chess Championship but she’s got already a FIDE I. D. number 16600495.

                Palau Rating Officer Jamie Kenmure of Australia suggested having a Whipps Family Cup that includes new President of PCF Eric Ksau Whipps, his wife Joy Flores Whipps, his son Ksau Anthony Whipps, and his nephew Zachary Techall Whipps.

                It will be a single round-robin tourney that can be played in their house. Only Joy doesn’t have international rating among the Whipps. A probability is to have Gladys be included so that the 2 women will finally have international rating.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle: (It’s black to move) 1. …Nc2+! 2. Rxc2 Qxa3+!! 3. bxa3 Rb8 mate.

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

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9 & 11

             Volume 22

             Issue 90

             November 11, 2013 

(649) JICA GOT TALENT (TBN-Oct. 31, 2013)

JICA GOT TALENT
     Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Senior Volunteer Yoshiharu Kurata belts out some classical tunes during a performance at Kramer's on Friday, October 25. Aside from doing city planning work for Airai State, Kurata has been performing and sharing his vast musical talents around the country.                 (Photo by Jose S. of Tia Belau)

Roberto Hernandez is teaching Mr. Yoshiharu Kurata twice a week (Monday and Thursday 11:30am - 12:30pm.

Mr. Kurata can play saxophone, flute, ocarina, guitar, quena (Palauan record/bamboo flute), vocals and keyboard.

It's not actually teaching but jamming and learning from each other about timing, music score, harmonize, international songs, experimenting on musical combination among those instruments.

They experimented many variations on "Besame Mucho" --Roberto singing the 1st stanza; Mr. Kurata singing the 1st voice for harmony; Roberto playing keyboard, Mr. Kurata --flute; Roberto with the intro; exchange from 1st voice to 2nd voice (which works better); ad lib by Mr. Kurata (1st stanza tunes); and everything they can think of to make a harmonized and well-arranged combination with the song.

They performed twice at Palau Visitor Authority's Friday International Night for 15 minutes. 

They performed also at Airai View Hotel with Timothy Sisserson, the Director  of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. 


Source: Tia Belau Newspaper
                Pages 1 & 7
               Volume 22
               Issue 87
               October 31, 2013

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination
               The Beginning of Chess In Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               November 2013
               To be published as a book in the future
   

  



 

(648) FIDE TOP 100 PLAYERS OF JULY 2003

MORE than 10 years ago, I was able to print a copy from www.fide.com of top 100 players in the world in the FIDE players' list.

It's interesting to recall the top 12: 1. Gary Kasparov 2. Vladimir Kramnik 3. Viswanathan Anand 4. Peter Leko 5. Veselin Topalov 6. Alexander Grischuk 7. Alexei Shirov 8. Peter Svidler 9. Evgeny Bareev 10. Michael Adams 11. Judit Polgar, who is still listed as wg (or Woman Grandmaster) but after her name, a big GM is written. Which means that she is listed at number 11 as GM in the men division.
   At 12. is Ruslan Ponomariov.
   Born in 1951, former world champion Anatoly Karpov is listed at 21st but 20 years older is Viktor Korchnoi, whom the former had defeated in the World Chess Championship in Baguio City, Philippines.

(647) MUSIC AND ME (Nov. 07, 2013) HAPPY, LUCKY HALLOWEEN

ALLAIN "THE DEATH" NATIVIDAD
     Palau Royal Resort buffet man Allain Natividad performs the character of "The Death" during the Halloween night at Waves Restaurant of PRR on Oct. 31, 2013. The costume becomes a hit with the guests that almost all of them have a picture taken with him likewise this one.                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


         HAPPY, LUCKY HALLOWEEN 

ON October 31, 2013, the Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort held a Halloween Dinner with the staff wearing make-up of scary characters like Count Dracula, the witch, corpse-like make-ups and so on.

But the most scary and caught the attention of many guests is Allain Natividad's costume of "The Death" complete with the caret. 

I can't think of any appropriate songs for this occasion but Count Dracula (Edwin Acuyan- the Food & Beverage Manager) asked my just play slow songs.

We have some Japanese, Taiwanese and American guests so I just played some songs from these countries. Got no tip for 2 hours of playing...

When I proceed at Breeze Bar at 9pm, there were only 4 guests (all Japanese ladies) in 2 tables side by side near the spot where I play keyboard.

I set up the keyboard very close to them, about a meter far. Those Japanese ladies are in their mid-20's. I gave 2 song books to the ladies to my right. The other 2 are busy talking.

Mostly, the requests of the 2 ladies are Japanese songs but they also requested American songs like "Yesterday Once More" and "Top of The World" -- both are by The Carpenters, who are one the most popular groups in Japan.

When I sing the Japanese song "Oribia O Kikinagara", the 2nd lady from left took a video of me singing that song. She is wearing a very short skirt and her tanned legs are subject for lust.

When I sing "Let It Be", she again took some video of me (half way) and once in a while focus the camera to her friend.

The two girls from my right requested "Tsunami", which I said to them "muzukashi uta", which means "difficult song" so I borrowed the 'romaji' (written in English so that I can understand) version and have them the Kanji/Hirakana version.

The Romaji version of "Tsunami" can be seen on top of the keyboard. These 2 young Japanese ladies requested another song that I needed to see the music score to be able to play it correctly.
                                                                       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez-Oct. 31, 2013)

I'm teaching Mr. Yoshiharu Kurata, a senior JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) volunteer music twice a week (Monday and Thursday -11:30am-12:30pm).

One of the Japanese songs in our repertoire is "Nada Sou Sou", which the 2 Japanese ladies have requested that Halloween night.

I asked for the music score again and I played it instrumental while they are singing it.

When I sing the last song "Yesterday", the 2nd lady from my left took another video of me while singing it.

She asked for their bill, pays it and before leaving, put $20.00 on top of the keyboard. I didn't expect it that big because she don't even request any song.

THE OTHER 2 LADIES ALSO GAVE ME TIP --- $1.00 from each of them. 

I gave each of them my card and thank them for having a memorable Halloween night at Palau Royal Resort's Breeze Bar.

After they left, I have some souvenir photos from the "Halloween board"...

   
Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
             The Beginning of Chess In Palau
             By Roberto Hernandez
             November 2013
             To be published as a book in the future


         


  

(646) CHESS SETS AND CLOCKS FOR PALAU IN 2006

Palau, as CACDEC chess developing country, was given 20 digital chess clocks and 100 chess sets by FIDE.

The following is the correspondence of the senders:

Eventually, only 20 Digital Chess clocks arrived and only 4 chess sets.




The other 96 sets got stocked in Mumbai, India.

The cost of storage fee is more expensive than the chess sets so they asked the Palau Chess Federation officials to order/request again.

With the coming election of new President of World Chess Federation (FIDE)during the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, this request might come in handy for the fast development of chess if it can be taught in school.

Roberto Hernandez had volunteered to teach chess at Palau Community College for free. He can teach 18 students at a time during his free time.

Even for free, the plan didn't materialize but junior chess is now developing fast with at least 10 participants in the recently concluded 2013 Palau National Chess Championship held from Aug. 04-Oct. 06, 2013.


Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
        The Beginning Of Chess In Palau
        By Roberto Hernandez
        November 2013
        To be published as a book in the future 
 

(645) PHILIPPINE EMBASSY TO CLOSE TUESDAY (TBN-July 30, 2012)

Source: Tia Belau Newspaper
             Volume 21
             July 30, 2012

(644) CYRIL STILL AT TOP; RUSTUM SURGES TO 7TH (TBN-Nov. 04, 2013)

FIRST TIME TO BE FEATURED AT CHESSMATE.

Three employees of Palau Royal Resort got their chances to be featured in this column. They are (from left) Security Officer Rhine Saburo, Cashier Remelyn Pascual, a participant in the Women's Division of 2013 Palau National Chess Championship, and Pastry Chef Mark Montales, who is learning chess by watching beginner players play at PRR Dorm 1.                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



              CYRIL STILL AT TOP; 
                       CABUSO SURGES AT 7TH

  

                THE new ratings for Palau chess players have been published at www.fide.com for the month of November 2013. A total of 46 active players are now listed with Palau no. 1 Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. keeping the spot but lost 19 points and dropped to 1895 from his previous 1914.

                At no. 2 is the retired Menandro Manuel at 1852 while the eventual champion Jose Celiz dislodged no. 3 Roberto Hernandez with a gain of 38 points from his previous 1791 and is now 1835. Had he won his final game against Nilo de Jesus, he should have overtaken Cyril at top.

                Hernandez (1850) lost 21 rating points and settled at 4^th with 1829. At 5^th is Tito Cabunagan, who lost 7 games, won 3 and drew 1. He is the 2^nd biggest loser of points (57). His previous 1842 rating is now 1785.

Candidate Master Bernardo Garcia (1722), who finished 2^nd in the 2013 PNCC, gained 45 points to improve to 1767 and keep his 6^th spot a little farther than the surging Rustum Cabuso, who has a 6-2 win-loss record before bowing to Celiz in the 9^th round.

If that tournament is a World Chess Olympiad, Cabuso would have been a FIDE Master. A player who scores 6 points in 9 games in an Olympiad will automatically become a FIDE Master (FM). Cabuso’s initial rating is 1739 followed by the improving Eugenio Pastrana (1702), who gained 20 points for finishing 4^th. His victories over Cyril and Rustum are criticized for his inability to update his score sheets during the game, which is not allowed in serious chess competitions.

First Palau Woman National Master Angie Parrado (1673) gained only 6 rating points because the Women’s Division was not fully rated because there’s not enough rated players, at least 1/3, in that division. There are 12 players in there and only 3 rated players (Angie, Baby Edna Mission and Paz Ngiratechekii).

There is a law in FIDE Handbook,  6.3 and 6.33 that if a women’s national chess championship will be held, it needs only 2 rated players to make it a fully FIDE rated event. But this exemption to the rule was not honored by FIDE’s chief rating officer.

The biggest loser of points in the Top 12 Division is Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. (58) but he made it to the top 10 at 1659 from his previous 1717. He scored only a win, a draw and lost 9 games mainly because his games had to be played in special time and date because he don’t have a Sunday day off.

At 11^th is Dennis Gonzales (1671), who lost 33 points because of his poor performance (2 wins, a draw and 8 losses) followed by Jeff Balbalosa(1612), who gained 25 points and has 1637 now.

The biggest gainer of points is Nilo de Jesus –104! His previous 1520 is now 1624 for the 13^th place. Unrated Rafael Paloma got his initial rating of 1602 for winning 3, drawing 1 and losing 7 games.

Gonzalo Escapatoria (1599) is now at 15^th while Remrel Dizon and Alfredo Pacenos, Jr. are tied at 16^th with an identical 1559 rating. They are tied also at 2^nd place in the Reserves Division.

Miguel Hilario, Jr. is at 18^th spot while Baby Edna Mission is at 19^th and lost 4 rating points. At 20^th is Eugene Labarda (1529) and Destiny Sisior gained 29 points for finishing 2^nd in the junior division and is now 1519—good for 21^st place.

At 22^nd is Mohammad Manik Hossain, who finished 5^th in the Reserves Division and gained only 9 points and improved from 1489 to 1498. The Reserves Division champion Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor gained 65 points to climb at 23^rd from 1410 to 1475.

Junior champion Ksau Anthony Whipps gained 80 points! But it’s good only for 24^th spot as his previous 1382 is not enough to catch up with Destiny. At 25^th is Luciano Sibayan (1462) of Palau Royal Resort; 26^th –Elpidio Manaligod (1456); 27^th –Ferdinand Gutierrez (1452)

At 28^th is Jaime dela Cruz, who lost 87 points and is now 1433 from his previous 1520 which is the same previous rating of Jon “Sib” Manuel Reyes, the biggest loser of points –117. He now has 1403.

Tied at 30^th are PCF President Eric Ksau Whipps and Senator Mlib Tmetchul, who will be the Head of Delegation of Palau Chess Team to 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway. They’ve got their initial rating of 1394.

At 32^nd is Geoff Martin (1370); 33^rd –Dan Roldan (1370); 34^th –Mary Frances Lopez (1356) and next at 35^th is the daughter of Cyril, Cyrelle Ann Montel at 1346.

At 36^th is Angelil Sisior, who lost 63 points and is now 1343 from her previous 1406; 37^th—Glen Navarosa (1294); 38^th—Zachary Techall Whipps (1289). He lost 81 points. At 39^th is Paz Ngiratechekii, who lost 8 points and is now 1266 from her previous 1274.

The last 7 in the list got their initial rating – 40. Fernan John Velarde (1261) 41. John Joseph Pabiona (1214)  42. Geaury Ken Pastrana (1199)  43. Dichem Tmetchul (1199)  44. Ronald Mission (1159)  45. Kyarii Sisior (1122) and 46. Kate Celiz (1073).

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qb3+ Ka5 2. Qxb5+!! axb5 3. Ra8 mate.

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

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9 & 10

             Volume 22

             Issue 88

             November 04, 2013