:
DEJA VU --- ISTANBUL, TURKEY AND TROMSO, NORWAY
During
the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey,
Roberto Hernandez of Palau, left, GM Eugene Torre of the Philippines, middle,
and Mrs. Marylin Torre were side-by-side watching the show and awarding of
prizes. It happens again in the Closing Ceremony of the 2014 World Chess
Olympiad in Tromso, Norway. This time, Roberto is all by himself as his
teammates are busy packing their belongings for the early morning trip back to
Manila. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
SIDE BY SIDE AT THE CLOSING
CEREMONY OF 2 OLYMPIADS
ROBERTO Hernandez attended the
2014 World Chess Olympiad Closing Ceremony alone because his 8 other teammates
are busy in packing their things for the 4am flight--Tromso-Bodo; Bodo-Oslo;
Oslo-Helsinki; Helsinki-Hong-Kong and Hong Kong to Manila. It's a 36-hour trip
and for them, the Closing Ceremony is not that important.
But for Roberto, he's not
letting go the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pass by. He also attended the
FIDE Arbiters Seminar for 5 consecutive days hoping to pass the test/exam and
be awarded FIDE Arbiter title. Packing your things can be done in a few hours.
After getting off the bus,
Roberto stands a few meters from the entrance. He saw GM Eugene Torre there
standing by himself, waiting for his wife Marylin, whom Roberto met during the
2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey and while getting the Schengen
visa at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila in July 17, 2014.
They have a long conversation
about FIDE Senior Trainer title that GM Torre got. Roberto got a FIDE
Instructor title after topping the FIDE Trainers' Seminar held in Palau by FIDE
C. E. O Geoffrey Borg in April 2014. Their conversation was focused in music
when Eugene asked, "So your job is just to play music?"
Eugene asked Roberto if he knows
the lyrics of the song "As Time Goes By" from the movie
"Casablanca" in 1942 and sung by Jimmy Durante. They sang it together
without mistakes of the lyrics...
“You must remember this. A kiss is
still a kiss. A sigh is just a sigh. The fundamental things apply, as time goes
by. And when two lovers woo, they still say I Love You. On that you can rely,
no matter what the future brings, as time goes by.
Moonlight and love songs, never out of date, hearts full of passion, jealousy
and hate, woman needs man and man must have his mate that no one can deny.
It's still the same old
story, of fight for love and glory, a case of do or die. The world will always
welcome lovers, as time goes by.”
Would you believe that Roberto
typed these lyrics without looking at his song book? Eugene is now convinced
that Roberto knows how to sing songs. He mentioned what Toti Abundo told him
when Toti visited Palau in January 2014... and that Eugene and Toti used to
sing in karaoke bars and their competition is whoever forgot the lyrics lose!
In January 23, 2014, Casto
'Toti' Abundo, Asian Chess Federation Deputy President, sung some songs at
Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort without using the song books in front of him
as he knows the lyrics of the songs that he requested to Roberto Hernandez, PRR
resident musician. FIDE C.E.O. FM Geoffrey Borg played blitz chess against
Palau top players Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Roberto, Eugene Labarda, Eric Ksau
Whipps and Jeff Balbalosa. Mr. Borg
defeated all his opponents including Toti in a show of his blitz chess prowess.
Eugene
and Roberto sung also the Spanish song "Besame Mucho"
“Besame, besame mucho, como si
fuera esta noche la ultima vez. Besame, besame mucho, que tengo miedo perderte,
perderte despues. Quiero tenerte muy cerca, mirarme entus ojos verter junto a
mi. Piensa que talvez manana, yo estare muy lejos, muy lejos de ti.”
Excellent singing and
pronunciation of that song BUT... WHEN EUGENE ASKED ROBERTO IF HE KNOWS IT IN
ENGLISH, he was completely lost. Eugene knows also the English version.
Another song that he knows
better than Roberto is the song "Save The Last Dance For Me". Roberto
can play it instrumental without mistakes but had not yet memorized the lyrics.
They sit together near the
stage. While there is some technical problem of the video/audio, they are
having fun again singing this time the song "Just The Way You Are" by
Billy Joel. People in front of them --Australia's women's team, can hear them
singing it while the organizers are showing some highlights of the 2014 World
Chess Olympiad including Roberto's teammate Destiny Sisior, the youngest
participant in the women's section. In singing "Just The Way You
Are", Roberto sometimes mixed up the 2nd stanza to the 3rd stanza. Eugene
knows exactly the right lyrics from 1st to 6th stanzas. In the Refrain of the
song, they sung it correctly.
During the singing of Turkish
most popular singer in the closing ceremony of Istanbul Olympiad, Eugene and
Marylin left because it's too loud for them. Roberto thought that they are not
music lovers. When they come back, Eugene asked Roberto, "You can take
that loud music?"
ROBERTO ANSWERED, "I'M USED TO IT.
I'VE BEEN A BAND MEMBER BEFORE PLAYING LOUD MUSIC."
30
minutes before the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in
Istanbul, Turkey, members of Palau Chess Team had a pictorial with
Asia's first GM Eugene Torre. From left, Board 4 Menandro Manuel, Board 1
Roberto Hernandez, GM Torre and Board 3 Bernardo Garcia.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Elizabeth Manuel (Board 2)
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Elizabeth
Manuel, middle, the Board 2 player of Palau in the 2012 World Chess
Olympiad in Turkey, had a pictorial with the wife of Asia's first GM
Eugene Torre (Marylin) at the entrance for the closing ceremony.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
GM
Eugene Torre holds the trophy for Philippine Team as nobody except him
and his wife Marylin attended the closing ceremony. Asian Chess
Federation Deputy President Toti Abundo accompany Eugene at the
stage. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3867: 1. Qd6+!! Bxd6
2. Bxd6 Kg8 3. Nf6 or Nh6 mate.
This week’s puzzle No. 3868: White to move and mates in 3
(Solution next issue)
Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 9
Volume 24
Issue 46
June 08, 2015
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