(701) PALAU HAS 61 PLAYERS LISTED AT www.fide.com (TBN-March 17, 2014)

UNIQUE CHESS SET
    

                  Former Senator Surangel Whipps, Sr., left, played in the simultaneous chess exhibition by Brian Jones in Feb. 25, 2014. The unique chess set that he is using is made from coconut wood. 8-year-old Kate Celiz, middle, is one of the less than 20 players that participated in the simul held at Island Paradise Resort Club after the conclusion of 2014 Micronesian Open.             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

PALAU HAS 61 PLAYERS LISTED

           AT www.fide.com

PLAYOFF -- Jeff vs. Manik 

THE MARCH 2014 List of FIDE rated players of Palau had an increase of 13 new FIDE rated players, the most that Palau got in just a month. From 48 in February, it is now 61. This is due to the gallant effort of Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Whipps to include almost all of his chess playing family members to the federation by means of rated tournaments among the family.

                Another factor was the acceptance of the 2013 Palau Women’s Chess Championship results that was not rated last year because only 3 rated players had participated in the field of 12 women players. A section of the FIDE Laws of Chess was corrected and interpreted by experts as valid to be rated.

                The following women chess players in that event have got their initial FIDE rating: 1. Ma. Florida Hernandez (1342) 2. Joy Flores Whipps (1285) 3. Gladys Anne Paloma (1486) 4. Lilibeth Cabunagan (1175) 5. Remelyn Pascual (1137) 6. Rowena Ngiralmau (1137) 7. Leizl Michael (1137) 8. Visitacion Rave (1175) and Elizabeth Manuel (1204).

                HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST:

#	Name	Title	Fed	Rating	G	B-Year
1	Montel Jr, Cyril Tomas		PLW	1896	9	1970
2	Celiz, Jose		PLW	1840	9	1973
3	Hernandez, Roberto		PLW	1835	9	1956
4	Cabunagan, Tito		PLW	1829	9	1959
5	Garcia, Bernardo	c	PLW	1755	9	1976
6	Cabuso, Rustum		PLW	1739	0	1984
7	Pastrana, Eugenio		PLW	1722	0	1955
8	Balbalosa, Jeffrey		PLW	1683	9	1979
9	Gonzales, Dennis		PLW	1673	9	1978
10	Suringa Jr, Paquito		PLW	1659	0	1973
11	Paloma, Rafael		PLW	1649	9	1974
12	Parrado, Angelica		PLW	1636	9	1968
13	De Jesus, Nilo		PLW	1624	0	1962
14	Dizon, Remrel		PLW	1559	0	1980
14	Pacenos Jr, Alfredo		PLW	1559	0	1978
16	Mission, Baby Edna		PLW	1557	0	1967
17	Sisior, Destiny		PLW	1534	0	2004
18	Labarda, Eugene		PLW	1529	0	1967
19	Whipps, Ksau Anthony Flores		PLW	1514	11	2001
20	Hossain, Mohammad Manik		PLW	1498	0	1981
21	Paloma, Gladys Anne		PLW	1486	0	1982
22	Mahor Jr, Manuel		PLW	1475	0	1970
23	Dela Cruz, Jaime		PLW	1433	0	1975
24	Sisior, Angelil		PLW	1412	0	2003
25	Ulap, Crisarjo Mel John Banaga		PLW	1398	0	1983
26	Tmetchul, Mlib		PLW	1394	0	1958
27	Reyes, Jon Manuel		PLW	1372	0	1980
28	Whipps, Eric Ksau Surangel		PLW	1357	11	1977
29	Ulap, Jo-Arl Cris Banaga		PLW	1353	0	1990
30	Montel, Cyrelle Ann		PLW	1346	0	2003
31	Hernandez, Ma. Florida		PLW	1342	0	1962
32	Leuterio, Allan		PLW	1338	0	1980
33	Whipps Jr, Surangel Samuel		PLW	1311	11	1968
34	Navarosa, Glen		PLW	1294	0	1978
35	Whipps, Joy Flores		PLW	1285	11	1978
36	Velarde, Ferman John		PLW	1261	0	1981
37	Whipps, Surangel Ngirchebangel		PLW	1251	11	1939
38	Osorio, Joseph		PLW	1235	0	1990
38	Perdon, Ojhea Mae Figueroa		PLW	1235	0	1984
40	Ngiratechekii, Paz		PLW	1216	0	1946
41	Pabiona, John Joseph		PLW	1214	0	1984
42	Whipps, Mason Ngirchechebangel		PLW	1206	11	1973
43	Manuel, Elizabeth		PLW	1204	0	1953
44	Parco, Roxanne		PLW	1201	0	1992
45	Pastrana, Geaury Ken		PLW	1199	0	1997
45	Tmetchul, Dichem		PLW	1199	0	2003
47	Cabunagan, Lilibeth		PLW	1175	0	1958
47	Rave, Visitacion		PLW	1175	0	1955
49	Mission, Ronald		PLW	1159	0	1997
50	Naruo, Rengeos		PLW	1158	0	1977
51	Whipps, Zachary Techall		PLW	1137	11	2001
51	Michael, Leizl		PLW	1137	0	1984
51	Ngiralmau, Rowena		PLW	1137	0	1968
51	Pascual, Remelyn		PLW	1137	0	1989
55	Sisior, Kyarii		PLW	1122	0	2008
56	Surangel, Ultei Angelei		PLW	1116	11	2005
57	Dambo, Berni		PLW	1104	0	1982
58	Celiz, Kate		PLW	1073	0	2005
59	Whipps, Kayah Iblai Flores		PLW	1064	11	2004
60	Onyango, Nasser		PLW	1052	0	1983
61	Millimono, Francios		PLW	1001	0	1986

Roberto Hernandez has made up his mind not to be the team captain of Men/Open team to 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Norway. He will be the Board 4 with Australian Jamie Kenmure, the Open team captain again and Ksau Anthony Flores Whipps as team captain of women’s team.

It’s been published many times in this column that if there is a need for reserve, it will be contested by Jeff Balbalosa, Mohammad Manik Hossain and Paquito Suringa, Jr. via playoff.

Suringa is not interested anymore so a 4-game rapid chess format will be held between Manik and Jeff with the color of the pieces being w-b-b-w (white-black-black-white).

Two games will be played on Sunday afternoon and the other 2 games the next Sunday. Roberto will be the arbiter and will be writing their chess moves so that they can concentrate on their game.

This process of selecting the 5^th member of the open team will eliminate the doubt of Manik that Eric has discriminated him by putting Jeff at board 4 without going to the process of playoff.

The Men/Open Palau team is the best ever with all 5 of them having a chance to get a FIDE or at least another Candidate Master title for Palau. Roberto is half-retired and he can practice 5-8 hours a day and has a very good chances to acquire a title at board 4.

During the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, he is Board 1 and as Gary Bekker said, the Board 1 player has a great responsibility as he is always facing the best player of a country that he is playing. They don’t have a reserve so their schedule is fixed from round 1-11.
Only one game was played in the 2014 Palau Open Chess tournament -- Tito Cabunagan played against John Joseph Pabiona and lost his queen for a knight. Tito still hangs on but Pabiona clings to his big advantage and prevailed in 45 moves of Center Counter.
After talking to Eric Whipps about the inability of many players to show up, it was decided to give another week (Sunday afternoon) for players who don't show up to lose by default.
It was also agreed that Manik and Jeff will have a playoff this Sunday (2 games 1:00-3:00pm.) in a best of 4 games of rapid time format. The 3rd and 4th game will be played on

Solution to last week’s puzzle: (The same as last week. Sorry for double printing)

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 23
             Issue 22
             March 17, 2014