FIRST MEETING AFTER 25 YEARS
GM Darwin Laylo, right, is a member of Philippine Team to the 2010 World
Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia together with chess prodigy GM Wesley
So, middle, and Roberto Hernandez, left. GM Laylo and Roberto played a drawn
game in 1989 and met again in Sept. 2011 during the 18th birthday
celebration of GM So. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Tito Cabunagan)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
AND YOURSELF
CHESS Grandmasters (GM) all around the world advised
players (beginners or masters) to study their opponents’ games at least 40 of
their games to know their styles, strengths, weaknesses and their favorite
openings.
During
the World Chess Olympiad, held every two years, this advise seems impossible to
do because you were given only 16 hours to prepare even with the help of
Chessbase, where you can get information about any player you search.
It
happens in the recently concluded 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway
that Palau Board 1 player Roberto Hernandez prepared against his opponent,
International Master (IM) Andrei Obudchuk of Russia, representing IPCA (International
Physically Disabled Chess Association). He’s got 16 hours to study 89 available
games of IM Obudchuk. Roberto was able to reduce it in half by studying only
the games that IM Odubchuk had played as white, because he will be handling the
white pieces in the 2nd round against Palau. Roberto was able to
reduce it further by studying only those games that IM Obudchuk has lost
playing the white pieces.
For
sure, Mr. Obudchuk also researched about Roberto’s available games (more than
30) at Chessbase –8 games from 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in
Australia; 11 games from Istanbul, Turkey Olympiad, 9 games from 2006 Palau
Invitational Chess Championship and 9 games from 2011 3rd PICC.
If
you study one game in one hour, it’s really not enough but at least, you will
be getting an idea of how good that player is, what are his/her favorite
openings and his/her style of play.
In
the 2003 Senior and Junior Chess Tournament, Roberto applied this advice
against his penultimate round opponent Cyril Montel, Jr. in Nov. 30, 2003. But
he’s got only 16 available games of Cyril. Still, he noticed that as white,
both of them always starts with 1. e4 and in those games of them, Roberto never
open with 1. d4.
When
they played with Roberto as white, he opened with 1. d4 and Cyril thought for 5
minutes before his first move! Cyril is never expecting a 1. d4 opening from
Roberto. This has psychological effect on Cyril and he lost easily in 32 moves.
Roberto
added something about this advice: KNOW ALSO YOURSELF!
To know yourself better, you must have a record of all
your games. CM Joselito Marcos, Roberto’s best friend, have more than 700 games
in his chess career, separating the wins, losses and draws way back in the
1970’s.
Thanks
to Jeffrey Balbalosa. He taught Roberto how to save his games in Chessbase.
Currently, Roberto has posted/saved more than 350 of his games way back from
1989 where he lately discovered that he played a game with GM Darwin Laylo in
Sept. 25, 1989 at the Manila Mayor’s Cup Open Chess Tournament held at the
Manila City Hall. And the result was a draw in 70 moves!
By
knowing themselves, players will improve a lot. SO KNOW YOUR OPPONENT AND
YOURSELF.
In
the upcoming 2014 Palau National Chess Championship to be held on Nov. 16,
2014-Jan. 25, 2015, 7th seed Eugenio Pastrana withdrew because he’s
busy with his job on that date. He will be replaced by inactive Gonzalo
Escapatoria (1699 rating), if he is available. If not, Nilo de Jesus(1624) or
Rafael Paloma (1612) are next in line for the Top 10 division.
Those
who paid their registration fees are Marcial Santander ($20.00), Felix Oling
($20.00), Paquito Suringa, Jr. ($10.00) and Ultei Angelei Surangel ($10.00) in
the junior division.
This week’s puzzle No. 4434: Black to move
and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 8
Volume 23
Issue 86
October 27, 2014
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 8
Volume 23
Issue 86
October 27, 2014
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