Mr. and Mrs. Zoltan Rayos of Slovakia were the first Slovakians that I met at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort. They are on a 10-day vacation in Palau.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Jackie)
FIRST TIME TO MEET SLOVAKIAN
COUPLE IN PALAU
ON APRIL 17, 2014, I met an Slovakian couple while playing music at Breeze Bar at Palau Royal Resort.
When I'm sure that they are not Americans, I ask their nationality. They can speak quite good English but when I said the word "chess", they thought I said "jazz" as in music.
While I was talking about 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Russia, 2012 WCO in Istanbul, Turkey and this coming WCO in Tromso, Norway, they are still thinking of the word "jazz", instead of chess.
They know a lot about music especially in Europe and they like jazz. I mentioned to them "The Girl From Ipanema" by Antonio Carlos Jobim.
When our conversation was focused on chess, I told them that Slovakia has a good chess team in the Olympiad. I'm not sure about their players and world rankings but I said I will check in the internet.
When I checked it, Slovakia is no. 40 in the world ranking and has 7 Grandmasters (GM) and 3 International Masters (IM) in their top 10 players.
I was not able to relay to them what I have searched because when we see each other again, they just passed by at Waves Restaurant while I'm playing piano and we just smile at each other.
Slovakia (Active players)
| # | Name | Title | Fed | Rating | G | B-Year |
| 1 | Markos, Jan | g | SVK | 2599 | 0 | 1985 |
| 2 | Ftacnik, Lubomir | g | SVK | 2566 | 0 | 1957 |
| 3 | Michalik, Peter | g | SVK | 2557 | 0 | 1990 |
| 4 | Petrik, Tomas | g | SVK | 2511 | 0 | 1980 |
| 5 | Stohl, Igor | g | SVK | 2505 | 0 | 1964 |
| 6 | Jurcik, Marian | m | SVK | 2469 | 0 | 1987 |
| 7 | Timoscenko, Gennadij | g | SVK | 2457 | 0 | 1949 |
| 8 | Smolen, Jan | SVK | 2453 | 9 | 1984 | |
| 9 | Petenyi, Tamas | m | SVK | 2448 | 0 | 1993 |
| 10 | Likavsky, Tomas | g | SVK | 2447 | 0 | 1971 |
| 11 | Pacher, Milan | m | SVK | 2429 | 0 | 1990 |
| 12 | Mazur, Stefan | m | SVK | 2426 | 9 | 1992 |
| 13 | Mrva, Martin | g | SVK | 2423 | 0 | 1971 |
| 14 | Lipka, Juraj | m | SVK | 2412 | 0 | 1975 |
| 15 | Hagara, Eduard | m | SVK | 2410 | 0 | 1979 |
| 16 | Meszaros, Michal | m | SVK | 2408 | 0 | 1987 |
| 17 | Tibensky, Robert | m | SVK | 2405 | 0 | 1960 |
| 18 | Manik, Mikulas | g | SVK | 2394 | 7 | 1975 |
| 19 | Jurcik, Martin | f | SVK | 2391 | 0 | 1989 |
| 20 | Pcola, Pavol | m | SVK | 2390 | 0 | 1976 |
| 21 | Repka, Christopher | SVK | 2379 | 10 | 1998 | |
| 21 | Rigo, Zsolt | m | SVK | 2379 | 0 | 1981 |
| 23 | Stockova, Zuzana | m | SVK | 2374 | 0 | 1977 |
| 24 | Lanc, Alois | m | SVK | 2371 | 0 | 1948 |
| 25 | Rachela, Milan | m | SVK | 2368 | 0 | 1982 |
| 26 | Maslik, Miroslav | m | SVK | 2365 | 0 | 1979 |
| 27 | Druska, Juraj | f | SVK | 2364 | 0 | 1994 |
| 28 | Macak, Stefan | m | SVK | 2363 | 0 | 1985 |
| 29 | Plachetka, Jan | g | SVK | 2362 | 0 | 1945 |
| 29 | Theissl Pokorna, Regina | wg | SVK | 2362 | 0 | 1982 |
| 31 | Balogh, Tomas | m | SVK | 2358 | 0 | 1978 |
| 31 | Repkova, Eva | m | SVK | 2358 | 0 | 1975 |
| 33 | Csiba, Dominik | m | SVK | 2357 | 0 | 1992 |
| 34 | Salai, Ladislav | m | SVK | 2356 | 0 | 1961 |
| 35 | Pinter, Erik | m | SVK | 2354 | 0 | 1982 |
| 36 | Krak, Tomas | f | SVK | 2353 | 0 | 1982 |
| 37 | Schwarz, Dusan | SVK | 2352 | 0 | 1980 | |
| 38 | Maros, Milan | f | SVK | 2344 | 0 | 1978 |
| 39 | Motuz, Karol | f | SVK | 2336 | 0 | 1961 |
| 40 | Kujovic, Michal | f | SVK | 2330 | 0 | 1981 |
| 41 | Petran, Peter | m | SVK | 2325 | 18 | 1954 |
| 42 | Kochetkova, Julia | wg | SVK | 2322 | 0 | 1981 |
| 43 | Vojtek, Vladimir | f | SVK | 2320 | 0 | 1971 |
| 44 | Farkas, Gabor | f | SVK | 2319 | 6 | 1989 |
| 44 | Hrabusa, Matej | SVK | 2319 | 0 | 1990 | |
| 46 | Gasa, Andrej | f | SVK | 2317 | 0 | 1973 |
| 47 | Gazik, Igor | m | SVK | 2316 | 0 | 1960 |
| 48 | Zetocha, Claudiu | f | SVK | 2307 | 0 | 1970 |
| 49 | Vlcek, Stanislav | f | SVK | 2306 | 0 | 1977 |
| 50 | Franzen, Jozef | m | SVK | 2305 | 0 | 1946 |
| 50 | Molnar, Peter | f | SVK | 2305 | 0 | 1981 |
| 52 | Briestensky, Rastislav | f | SVK | 2302 | 0 | 1965 |
| 53 | Komora, Andrej | SVK | 2300 | 0 | 1978 | |
| 54 | Zambor, Norbert | f | SVK | 2298 | 0 | 1974 |
| 55 | Jacko, Vladimir | f | SVK | 2296 | 0 | 1993 |
| 56 | Straka, Jozef | f | SVK | 2293 | 0 | 1994 |
| 57 | Sarkozy, Ladislav | SVK | 2292 | 0 | 1969 | |
| 58 | Varga, David | f | SVK | 2288 | 0 | 1991 |
| 59 | Janko, Michal | SVK | 2287 | 0 | 1988 | |
| 59 | Vyparina, Matej | f | SVK | 2287 | 0 | 1982 |
| 61 | Nayhebaver, Martin | SVK | 2284 | 15 | 1999 | |
| 62 | Vass, Frantisek | f | SVK | 2280 | 0 | 1988 |
| 63 | Kukel, Imre | f | SVK | 2279 | 0 | 1985 |
| 64 | Havlicek, Libor | SVK | 2278 | 0 | 1984 | |
| 65 | Banas, Jan | m | SVK | 2277 | 0 | 1947 |
| 66 | Horvath, Mario | f | SVK | 2273 | 0 | 1971 |
| 66 | Rybansky, Daniel | SVK | 2273 | 0 | 1984 | |
| 68 | Rohacek, Miroslav | f | SVK | 2272 | 0 | 1980 |
| 69 | Debnar, Lubos | f | SVK | 2269 | 0 | 1966 |
| 69 | Lednicky, Martin | SVK | 2269 | 0 | 1983 | |
| 71 | Federic, Jozef | SVK | 2268 | 0 | 1986 | |
| 72 | Balogh, Peter | SVK | 2266 | 0 | 1977 | |
| 73 | Pagerka, Martin | SVK | 2265 | 0 | 1995 | |
| 74 | Holecko, Rastislav | SVK | 2264 | 0 | 1979 | |
| 75 | Borosova, Zuzana | wg | SVK | 2263 | 0 | 1988 |
| 76 | Kalisky, Vladimir | SVK | 2259 | 7 | 1962 | |
| 77 | Kusiak, Matej | SVK | 2258 | 0 | 1991 | |
| 78 | Certek, Pavel | f | SVK | 2257 | 9 | 1956 |
| 78 | Pechac, Jergus | c | SVK | 2257 | 0 | 2001 |
| 80 | Martiska, Peter | f | SVK | 2256 | 0 | 1958 |
| 80 | Mokos, Jozef | SVK | 2256 | 0 | 1976 | |
| 82 | Janko, Zoltan | SVK | 2255 | 0 | 1984 | |
| 83 | Michalicka, Milan | SVK | 2254 | 0 | 1967 | |
| 84 | Staricek, Peter | SVK | 2253 | 0 | 1981 | |
| 85 | Gabris, Ondrej | SVK | 2249 | 9 | 1984 | |
| 85 | Bednar, Jaromir | f | SVK | 2249 | 0 | 1974 |
| 85 | Kantorik, Marian | m | SVK | 2249 | 0 | 1966 |
| 88 | Banas, Kamil | SVK | 2246 | 0 | 1981 | |
| 88 | Duriga, Stefan | SVK | 2246 | 0 | 1955 | |
| 90 | Bezuch, Martin | SVK | 2244 | 0 | 1983 | |
| 91 | Zvarik, Martin | SVK | 2243 | 0 | 1988 | |
| 92 | Kovac, Lubomir | SVK | 2241 | 0 | 1982 | |
| 93 | Csolto, Robert | SVK | 2237 | 0 | 1979 | |
| 93 | Skreno, Vladimir | SVK | 2237 | 0 | 1979 | |
| 95 | Packa, Ladislav | SVK | 2235 | 0 | 1958 | |
| 96 | Lisko, Frantisek | f | SVK | 2234 | 0 | 1965 |
| 97 | Kleman, Miroslav | SVK | 2231 | 8 | 1981 | |
| 98 | Gazik, Viktor | f | SVK | 2229 | 10 | 2001 |
| 98 | Bottyan, Peter | SVK | 2229 | 0 | 1977 | |
| 100 | Peterson, Eric | f | SVK | 2227 | 7 | 1958 |
CONTINUATION OF
MY REPERTOIRE OF INTERNATIONAL SONGS
1952 I BELIEVE
(Lettermen) R 81
I BELIEVE
IN MUSIC G 79
I BELIEVE
IN YOU (Neil Young) DB 80
IBIG KONG IBIGIN
KA (Anthony Castelo) (Filipino Song) OPM128
1952 I CAN SEE
CLEARLY NOW (Jimmy Cliff) DB 45
1965 I CAN’T GET NO
(SATISFACTION) (Rolling Stones) B 119
1928 I CAN’T GIVE
YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE R 62
I CAN’T LET
GO (Air Supply) R 258
1982 I CAN’T SAY
GOODBYE TO YOU (Helen Reddy) B 350
1958 I CAN’T STOP
LOVING YOU (Ray Charles) V 39
I CAN’T
TELL YOU WHY (Eagles) DB216
1984 I CAN WAIT
FOREVER (Air Supply) DB276
1971 I’D LIKE TO
TEACH THE WORLD TO SING V 40
1972 I’D LOVE YOU TO
WANT ME (Lobo) DB 35
I’D RATHER
LEAVE WHILE I’M IN LOVE (Rita Coolidge) R 89
1976 I’D REALLY LOVE
TO SEE YOU TONIGHT (Dan Seals) B 282
I DON’T
KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM G 81
I DON’T
KNOW WHY B 228
I DON’T
KNOW WHY YOU LOVE ME (Cotton, Lloyd & Christian) R 88
I DON’T
LIKE TO SLEEP ALONE (Paul Anka) B 143
I DON’T
WANT TO SPOIL THE PARTY (Beatles) R 184
I DON’T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT (Rod Stewart) B 210
I DON’T
WANT YOU TO GO (Lani Hall) R 92
1971 I F
(Bread) G 42
I FALL TO
PIECES (Patsy Cline) V 41
IF EVER I
SEE YOU AGAIN (Roberta Flack) R 128
IF EVER I
WOULD LEAVE YOU DB150
IF EVER
YOU’RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN (Peabo Bryson) DB193
1964 IF I FELL
(Beatles) R 217
I FINALLY
FOUND SOMEONE (Barbra Streisand & Bryan Adams) G 104
1963 IF I HAD A
HAMMER (Trini Lopez)
1977 IF I NEVER SING
ANOTHER SONG (Matt Monro) R 127
IF I KEEP
MY HEART OUT OF SIGHT (James Taylor) DB277
IF THIS IS
LOVE (Melissa Manchester) B 185
196 IF THIS WORLD
WERE MINE (Temptations) B 169
1982 IF I SHOULD
LOVE AGAIN (Barry Manilow) B 335
IF WE HOLD
ON TOGETHER (Diana Ross) DB182
IF WE TRY
(Don McLean) DB217
1982 IF YOU EVER
CHANGE YOUR MIND (Crystal Gayle) B 310
IF YOU GO
AWAY (Terry Jacks) DB149
1976 IF YOU LEAVE ME
NOW (Chicago) R 11
1974 IF YOU LOVE ME
(Really Love Me) G 83
1978 IF YOU REMEMBER
ME (Chris Thompson) R 109
198 IF YOU’RE NOT
HERE (Menudo) V 7
IF YOU
WALKED AWAY (David Pomeranz) R 108
I GO OUT OF
MY MIND OVER YOU B 97
I HAVE A
DREAM (Abba) R 98
I HAVE YOU
(Carpenters) DB278
1974 I HONESTLY LOVE
YOU (Olivia Newton-John) R 106
1979 I H O U J I N
(Japanese Song) J 27
2002 IISA PA LAMANG
(Joey Albert) (Filipino Song) OPM13
1984 I JUST CALLED
TO SAY I LOVE YOU (Stevie Wonder) G 6
I JUST
CAN’T HELP BELIEVING (Elvis Presley) G 85
I JUST FALL
IN LOVE AGAIN (Anne Murray) (Carpenters) B 98
I JUST WANT
TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING (Andy Gibb) R 176
IKADUHANG
BATHALA (Filipino Song – Visayan) OPM77
I K A
W (Various Artists) (Filipino Song) OPM129
IKAW ANG
AKING MAHAL (VST & Company) (Filipino Song) OPM198
1999 IKAW ANG LAHAT
SA AKIN (Martin Nievera) (Filipino Song) OPM 75
IKAW ANG
MAHAL KO (Filipino Song)
OPM97
1974 IKAW ANG MISS
UNIVERSE NG BUHAY KO (Hotdog) (Fil. Song)
OPM130
IKAW AY
AKIN (Filipino Song) OPM103
IKAW PA RIN
(There Will Never Be Another You) (Filipino Version) OPM132
IKAW PA RIN
(Ted Ito) (Filipino Song) OPM133
I KNOW
1985 I KNOW HIM SO
WELL (Elaine Page & Barbara Dickson) B 187
1954 I LEFT MY HEART
IN SAN FRANCISCO
(Tony Bennett) DB151
1979 I’LL ALWAYS
LOVE YOU (Michael Johnson) R 93
1992 I’LL ALWAYS
LOVE YOU (Whitney Houston) B 191
I’LL BE
BACK (Beatles) R 211
1938 I’LL BE SEEING
YOU R 27
I’LL BE
THERE (Jackson
5) DB209
I’LL BE
THERE FOR YOU (Bon Jovi) DB 62
1964 I’LL FOLLOW THE
SUN (Beatles) R 226
I’LL HAVE
TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG (Jim Croce) DB280
I’LL NEVER
FALL IN LOVE AGAIN (Dionne Warwick) R 102
I’LL NEVER
FALL IN LOVE AGAIN (Tom Jones)
1979 I’LL NEVER LOVE
THIS WAY AGAIN (Dionne Warwick) B 285
I’LL NEVER
SMILE AGAIN V 38
IL MONDO
(Engelbert Humperdinck) G 87
I LOVED YOU
ALL THE WAY (Janie Frickie) R 100
1949 I LOVE YOU
BECAUSE
1981 I’LL NEVER GET
ENOUGH OF YOU (Air Supply) B 324
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
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