Palau Chessmate: May 2014

Sunday, May 25, 2014

(720) PHOTOS (5TH AND 6TH ROUND - 2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT)

The only game played in the 5th round of 2014 Palau Open Chess Tournament --Roberto Hernandez, right, vs. Dennis Gonzales. A win by Hernandez in 28 moves of Danish Gambit.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez - Taken by Nilo de Jesus)

THE MOVES: Roberto Hernandez (White) vs. Dennis Gonzales (Black) Danish Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Kf8 6. Qd5 Bxf2+ 7. Ke2 Qf6 8. Bxg8 Rxg8 9. Nxc3 Bb6 10. Nh3 Qe6 11. Rf1+ Ke8 12. Qh5+ Qg6 13. Qxg6+ hxg6 14. Nf4 g5 15. Nfd5 g4 16. Nxb6 axb6 17. Nd5 Na6 18. b4 b5 19. a4 c6 20. Nb6 Nc7 21. Nxa8 Nxa8 22. axb5 Nb6 23. Be3 Nc4 24. Ra8 Kd8 25. b6 d6 26. Bg5+ Kd7 27. Rf7+ Ke6 28. Re7#.

6th ROUND -- MAY 04, 2014

Tito Cabunagan, 3rd from left, shakes hand with unbeaten Jeff Balbalosa in the resumption of play of 2014 Palau Open Chess tournament at Bethlehem Park on Sunday, May 04, 2014. Tito snapped the 4-game winning streak of Jeff. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Practice game of Neph Macasaet, left, and Bernard Garcia. Official game of NM Jose Celiz, 2nd from left, and Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. that ended in a draw by perpetual check to the surprise of Celiz, who is ahead by a whole rook. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

NOW IT'S OFFICIAL!

The earlier game of Pax, 2nd from left, and Jose Celiz, is just a practice game while waiting for WNM Angie Parrado to come back. She took long in coming back so the 2 protagonists played their official game. When Angie came back, no more available player in Pool B to play with.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Tito Cabunagan, left, treats every game like a blitz game. He consumed only 9 minutes of his 90 minutes in dealing Jeff his first loss in 31 moves of French Defence. He is watching the opening moves of Pax-Jose match while Jeff is pondering deeply his next move.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE LAST GAME OF THE DAY.
NM Roberto Hernandez, right, against Rafael Paloma. Their game lasted till 6:20 pm with Roberto emerging as victor after 57 moves of Sicilian Defence for his 6th straight wins.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Nilo de Jesus)

THE MOVES: Rafael Paloma (White) vs. Roberto Hernandez (Black) Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nf6 6. Qe3 Nf6 7. h3 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. a3 d5 10. exd5 exd5 11. Bb5 Re8 12. Qd3 a6 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. b4 Qc7 15. Bb2 Ne4 16. Be5 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Qd4 Nf6 19. c4 Re4 20. Qd3 Rxc4 21. Nbd2 Rf4 22. Rfe1 Bf5 23. Qf1 h6 24. g3 Rxf3 25. Nxf3 Be4 26. Nd2 Bg6 27. Rac1 Ne4 28. Nxe4 Bxe4 29. Re3 Bg6 30. Rc5 d4 31. Re1 d3 32. Rec1 Be4 33. Qd1 d2 34. Ra1 Qd3 35. Re5 Bf3 36. Re3 Qxe3 37. fxe3 Bxd1 38. Rxd1 Rd8 39. Kf2 Rd3 40. Ke2 Rxa3 41. Rxd2 Rb3 42. Rd8+ Kh7 43. Ra8 Rxb4 44. Rxh6 c5 45. Rc6 c4 46. Kf3 f6 47. h4 Kg6 48. g4 Kf7 49. Rc7+ Ke6 50. Rxg7 Kd6 51. Rg6 Ke5 52. Rxh6 c3 53. Rh5+ Ke6 54. Ra5 c2 55. Ra6+ Kd5 56. Rxf6 c1=Q 57. Rf5+ Ke6 0-1

Newcomer Neph Macasaet, left, played his 7th game of the event against Gladys Anne Paloma, the wife of Rafael. Neph prevailed in 53 moves of Queen's Pawn Opening after Gladys blundered away her queen. She's got a 3-pawn advantage prior to losing her queen. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Father and sons. Rafael Paloma playing with his 2 sons watching. Typical of kids, they distract their father while playing against NM Roberto Hernandez in the 6th round. He made a mistake on the 52nd move when he captured on h6 instead of preventing the promotion of Roberto's c pawn.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Every Sunday after the church service at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch), Roberto is borrowing 5 plastic chairs for players to sit on. The other seating side of the table is the bench but players are still standing while playing as shown in this photo.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Source: History of Chess In Palau

By Roberto Hernandez

April-May 2014

(719) PHOTOS (5TH AND 6TH ROUND - 2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT)

THE MOVES: Roberto Hernandez (White) vs. Dennis Gonzales (Black) Danish Gambit

6th ROUND -- MAY 04, 2014

NOW IT'S OFFICIAL!

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE MOVES: Rafael Paloma (White) vs. Roberto Hernandez (Black) Sicilian Defence

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Source: History of Chess In Palau

By Roberto Hernandez

April-May 2014

Thursday, May 22, 2014

(718) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 27, 2014) DANCING OLD JAPANESE

A DIFFERENT KIND OF AMBIANCE
These 7 old Japanese guests enjoyed my music by dancing all around the piano. Most of the times, when Japanese enjoy my music and sang some songs, they are giving me tips. This time it's different. They enjoyed dancing for more than 30 minutes, have photos for souvenirs but none of them remember to give me something. I don't feel sad about it. It's my pleasure to see them enjoy my music through singing and dancing. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- taken by Jovelyn Rodriguez)

DANCING OLD JAPANESE

ON March 16, 2014, I've experience a different kind of experience with some old Japanese guests.

There's a group of old Japanese in one long table. They are drinking and talking.

When I started playing Japanese songs, 2 couples danced. Another couple joined them, and another one.

The other guests (Taiwanese, Americans) also enjoyed watching them having a good time.

I'm not worried that the General Manager or Food and Beverage staff will stop them because it's the singing that's not allowed but this one is dancing.

I played a mixture of upbeat and slow tempo Japanese songs --Futari De Osakeo, Kimito Itsumademo, Tsugunai, Sakeo, Sukiyaki, Subaru, etc.

There's no disco or rock n roll in those songs so they can lasts for 30 minutes of some sort of ballroom dancing.

While they are doing the "chain" dancing, that's the time that somebody suggested to have a picture (the one above).

In the 2nd photo, new Executive Chef Daisuke Kunii and Jovelyn Rodriguez (bartender) joined in the photo session.

Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
   The Beginning of Chess In Palau
   By Roberto Hernandez
   May 2014
   To be published as a book in the future

(717) WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SALE (TBN-April 28, 2914)

FROM 2002 (PALAU) - 2014 (NORWAY WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD)
Roberto Hernandez, right, was surprised to meet a guy from Tromso, Norway, where the 2014 World Chess Olympiad will be held from Aug. 01-14 at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort while entertaining a young Japanese couple Juichi, left, and his wife who can't speak much English. 2nd from right is Haakon, the Norwegian guy, who works at his country's military. Hernandez pioneered chess in Palau in 2002 and will be Board 1 player again in the Olympiad in Norway.

Note: The graphics designer of Tia Belau had made a mistake (again!) in posting the right photo. He printed this one instead of the above.*

       WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
                             FOR SALE

      WHERE will the 2014 World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Vishy Anand be held? This is the question being asked by all the chess fans lately. It won't be long to wait for the answer—on April 30 Kirsan Ilyumzhinov will announce the time and place.
      Last year there was no question about the site. The Indians, who were unable to get the 2012 championship match, had already reserved the right to host it, and then observed how their favorite Anand lost hopelessly to Carlsen.
     After the 23-year old Norwegian took the championship crown, and judging by the crazed interest on the part of his country’s media and regular chess fans, one issue seemed unquestionable —that the championship should be cherry picked by a Scandinavian oil company, but not this time. “Too manу expenses, without a tinge of irony informed the representative of the Norwegian Chess Federation. “In 2013 we had the World Cup, and this year the Olympiad. Added to that is the tournament in Stavanger, in which we are also taking part for the organization. It's too much of a stretch!”
     Then who? FIDE, originally giving the final date for choosing a site as March 15, being hesitant before the opening of the candidates tournament, pulled a “take back,” expecting, that in the event of a win by a representative of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria or Russia, that the corresponding chess federation would gladly accept the responsibility of hosting. But... the tournament was taken by the 44-year-old Anand, which conclusively confounded them in their tracks.
     “I have an excellent suggestion for holding the championship match,” said the FIDE president on the day before the tournament. “There are serious people, who are willing to spend 10 million dollars for organizing the match, and that will leave a prize fund of a record 4-5 million. If we can arrange it, I think everyone will be greatly pleased.”
     Understandably, Ilyumzhinov, a true politician, said not a word more than necessary. But who is this sponsor? Arabian sheiks? Americans? Perhaps South Korea or Singapore? Anything is possible. We'll just have to wait. But it's already obvious that if the championship match is getting that kind of money, we'll be happy to follow them, be it to the North Pole.

RESULTS OF THE 4^TH ROUND (2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT)

1. Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. is keeping abreast with the leaders after scoring another win over Baby Edna “Bheng” Mission in 37 moves of Sicilian Defence. Pax now has 3 points.

2. NM Roberto Hernandez scored his 4^th straight wins by clobbering Gladys Anne Paloma in 25 moves of Danish Gambit. He now leads the Pool A.

3. Top seed NM Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. dealt Peter Erick Magbanua his 4^th loss in 33 moves of French Defence. Cyril has 3 points.

4. Dennis Gonzales has 2.5 points after subduing Magbanua in 23 moves of Queen’s Pawn Opening.

5. WNM Angelica Parrado overcame a material disadvantage and prevailed against Baby Edna Mission in a marathon 71 moves of King’s Pawn Opening.

6. THE GAME OF THE WEEK belongs to the game between Jeff Balbalosa and the newest NM Jose Celiz. The game is a beauty in terms of tactical, positional and strategy as well as time management wherein Jose has 2 minutes left in his clock before he resigns on the 46^th move of Queen’s Gambit Declined. Jeff now leads the Pool B with 4 consecutive victories.

7. Candidate Master Bernard Garcia found Neph Macasaet a tough nut to crack when he was forced to a draw by Neph in another 71 moves of English Opening. Neph missed a neat knight maneuver on 66^th move that would have won him the game. He has 1.5 points in 6 games while Bernard has a point from his 2 drawn games. Neph is complaining to Roberto that Peter published it in Island Times that Bernard outclassed him in their match wherein it is a draw and not a loss.

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qg8+! Kxg8 2. Re8+ Rxe8 3. Rxe8 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 & 11

Volume 23

Issue 34

April 28, 2013

(716) GEOFFREY BORG IS BACK! CONDUCTED FIDE TRAINERS' SEMINAR (TBN-April 21, 2014)

FIDE TRAINERS' SEMINAR BY MR. GEOFFREY BORG

Participants of the FIDE Trainers’ Seminar (L-R) Peter Erick Magbanua, Dennis Gonzales, Bernard Garcia, Roberto Hernandez, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Eugene Labarda, Tito Cabunagan and Jeff Balbalosa. Sitting (L-R) Ohjea Perdon, Gladys Anne Paloma, Erick Ksau Whipps, Geoffrey Borg, Baby “Bheng” Edna Mission and Angie Parrado.

(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
(Taken by Angelil Sisior)

GEOFFREY BORG IS BACK!

CONDUCTED FIDE TRAINERS'
SEMINAR

HE'S BEEN for the first time in Palau on Jan. 23-24, 2014 with Casto ‘Toti’ Abundo where their 4-day trip was cut short because of United Airlines cancelled flight on Tuesday, Jan. 21. They have to go to Korea for a connecting flight.

Geoffrey Borg, the Chief Executive Officer of World Chess Federation (FIDE), came to Palau again via Guam on Sunday evening, April 13 and conducted a FIDE Trainers’ Seminar for FIDE Trainer Titles on April 14-16, 2014.

It was held at Surangel’s Construction Office in Malakal from 6:00-10:00pm with 14 local players/participants wherein 10 of them are members of Palau Chess Team to 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway to be held from Aug. 01-14, 2014.

The participants are NM Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., NM Roberto Hernandez, NM Tito Cabunagan, CM Bernardo Garcia, Dennis Gonzales, Jeffrey Balbalosa, Paquito Suringa, Jr., WNM Angelica Parrado, Baby Edna Mission, Gladys Anne Paloma, Eric Ksau Whipps, Eugene Labarda, Peter Erick Magbanua and Ohjea Mae Figueroa Perdon.

Mr. Borg is also helpful enough to teach the Palau Chess Team Members individually of their favorite openings, defences, strengths and weaknesses at the lobby of Palasia Hotel from 11am-5:30pm.

There’s a lot that has been learned in this seminar. Notably the book of David Bronstein’s “Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953”; The Seven Deadly Sins in Chess; How to Think in Chess; Think Like A Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov; Former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand’s quote about intuition; Basic Chess Endings by Reuben Fine; Aaron Nimzovich “My System”; Chessbase 12; My Great Predecessors by Gary Kasparov; Chess Informant 117 and many more.

Also the 14 World Chess Champions: 1. William Steinitz 2. Emmanuel Lasker 3. Jose Raoul Capablanca 4. Alexander Alekhine 5. Max Euwe 6. Mikhail Botvinnik 7. Vassily Smyslov 8. Mikhail Tal 9. Tigran Petrosian 10. Boris Spassky 11. Robert James Fischer 12. Anatoly Karpov 13. Gary Kasparov and 14. Magnus Carlsen. The current women champion is Hou Yifan of China.

The former Presidents of FIDE were also emphasized from July 28, 1924 –1. Alexander Rueb 2. Folke Rogard 3. GM Max Euwe 4. GM Fridrick Olaffson 5. Florencio Campomanes and 6. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The last part of the seminar was the exam where the first question is the Five FIDE Trainers Title to be given to those who will pass the exam and evaluation for the other titles – 1. FIDE Senior Trainer (FST) 2. FIDE Trainer (FT) 3. FIDE Instructor (FI) 4. National Instructor (NI) and 5. Developmental Instructor (DI).

Hernandez, Garcia and Gonzales got their National Arbiter (NA) title while Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Whipps got his FIDE Arbiter title when he passed the exam during the 2013 World Youth Chess Championship in Al Ain Abu Dhabi, UAE last December.

This seminar is also a preparation for Palau Chess Team on how to act/react during the Olympiad; what food to eat; what time to have lunch; what time to sleep; to walk a total of one kilometer during a game or while waiting for opponent to make the move; to go to rest room and wash the face and go back fresh for the endgame; play more cautiously after making a mistake; have a balance practice –1 hour on opening, 1 hour on middle game, 1 hour on endgame, 1 hour on classical games and 1 hour blitz EVERYDAY! THANK YOU MR. GEOFFREY BORG!!!

Results of the 3^rd round of 2014 Palau Open Chess Tournament held on April 13, 2014 at Bethlehem Park: 1. Paquito Suringa, Jr. vs. John Joseph Pabiona (1-0) 2. Tito Cabunagan vs. Charley Patris (1-0) 3. Jeff Balbalosa vs. Baby Edna Mission (1-0) 4. Neph Macasaet vs. Dennis Gonzales (0-1) 5. Roberto Hernandez vs. Peter Erick Magbanua (1-0) 6. Suringa vs. Cabunagan (1-0) 7. Balbalosa vs. Pabiona (1-0) 8. Alfredo Pacenos, Jr. vs. Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. (0-1) 9. Neph vs. Peter (1-0).

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Rxh5+! gxh5 2. Qxh5+ Bh6 3. Qxh6 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 23
   Issue 32
April 21, 2014

(715) PHOTOS (4TH ROUND -- 2014 PALAU OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT)

FIRST GAME OF ROUND 4 -- Pool B Top seed Jose Celiz, right, played his first game of the event against Jeff Balbalosa. It becomes the game of the week for its exciting finish and shows the maturity in Jeff's play as he outwitted Celiz in 46 moves of Queen's Gambit Declined. In the background is Koichi Matsuda, an Honorary Member of Palau Chess Federation. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Roberto Hernandez, right, collected his 4th straight victory by trouncing the Board 3 woman player of Palau Chess Team to Norway World Chess Olympiad Gladys Anne Paloma in 26 moves of Danish Gambit.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr., right, is catching up with the leaders in Pool B after clobbering Board 2 Player of Palau Chess Team to Norway Baby Edna 'Bheng' Mission in 37 moves of Sicilian Defence. Pax got his 3rd straight win after defeating John Joseph Pabiona and Tito Cabunagan, 2rd from left, on April 13.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Island Times reporter Peter Erick Magbanua, left, succumbed to Pool A top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. in 33 moves of French Defence. It was Peter's 4th straight loss in his first serious chess tourney in Palau.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Jose, left, vs. Jeff; CM Bernard Garcia vs. Neph Macasaet; Cyril vs. Tito (practice -blitz) and at the last board are Bheng and Pax using a wooden chess board. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

GAME OF THE WEEK. Jose Celiz, left, the top seed in the Pool B, played his first game in the 4th round and lost to Jeff Balbalosa in a classic game of strategy, tactics, time management and patience as the latter now leads his division with 4 straight wins. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Bheng vs. WNM Angie Parrado, right, Neph vs. CM Bernard Garcia and Jeff vs. Jose with Americans (a guy and a lady) watching the exciting matches. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Peter Erick Magbanua, right, suffered his 5th straight loss to Dennis Gonzales, Board 4 player of Palau Open team to Norway in 23 moves of Queen's Pawn Opening. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Bheng couldn't sustain his material advantage and lost to Angie Parrado in 71 moves of King's Pawn Opening. As Geoffrey Borg said, the women's team to Norway needs a lot of balance practice --opening, middle game, ending and classical games. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Neph Macasaet, left, missed a winning tactical knight maneuver on the 66th move and drew with Candidate Master Bernard Garcia in 69 moves of English Opening. Neph has 1.5 points in 6 games. Everybody notice his much improved play and patience. Writing chess notations doesn't bother him anymore.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)