Palau’s First Certified FIDE Instructor
My FIDE Instructor Title/License was
renewed during the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan until 2019. I
can teach chess to any 182-member countries of FIDE. Angelica Morales Magno,
left, is my newest chess student. She’s paying me $5.00 for 30 minutes chess
lesson once a week. Sometimes, you have to invest some money for some fields
you want to get better. I’m willing to give my students extra minutes/hours if
I see potential in them. If I don’t see any, I’ll just frankly and politely
say, “Don’t waste my time!” (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
RUSTUM, CYRIL, ROBERTO ---
TOP 3 FINISHERS OF
LIGHTNING/BULLET CHESS TILT
The first chess tournament of the year, which was organized
by Palau Chess Federation, fires off last Sunday, Feb. 19, at Bethlehem Park.
Sixteen contestants participated with 3
newcomers to speed chess -- Thomas Hayes, Francois Millimono and 22-year-old Angelica
Morales Magno, who is my guitar/chess student every Sunday evening.
It is supposed to be 7-round Swiss system but
I forgot already the set-up of this system in my laptop so Eric Ksau
Whipps, the PCF President, decided to make it a round-robin with 1
minute for each player to finish the game + 2 seconds increment.
The
other contestants are Angelica Parrado-Sisior, Dennis
Gonzales, Destiny
Sisior, me, Eric, Gonzalo
‘Jojo’ Escapatoria,Jr., Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Manuel
‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr., Tito Cabunagan, Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa Jr., Angelo Salvadora, Rustum
Cabuso and Angelil Sisior.
After
15 rounds of speed chess, Rustum emerged as champion with 13.5 points followed
by Cyril with 13, me is 3rd with 12 points. My 3 losses (all by time) are from
Rustum, Cyril, and Jojo, who clinched 4th. Rustum’s only lost game was from
Jojo and his only draw was with Dennis.
Tito
lost to me by illegal move when he moves his knight from f6 to d5 and landed to
f3. I told him it’s illegal and he can’t believe it. It will take 4 moves for a
knight at d5 to get to f3 square. Having a watchful eye is one of the aspects
of getting better in this fast pace game of chess.
This
event became the busiest 2 hours of my chess career. I have to play 15 games; I
have to record the results of every game; some players have played 5 games already
and I have played only 2 games; some players are interfering with my recording
of results even though they see that I’m very busy writing the results; while
I’m still playing, some players recorded their own scores, which helps me a
lot; the good thing is—many players are knowledgeable about round-robin system
as they can see what color they will be having with specific opponents.
Tito, Paquito and Angelo are tied at 5th-7th
but the Direct Encounter (winner-over-the-other) tiebreak was used and they
finished in that order. At 8th with 8 points each are Angie and Jun.
At 10th is Dennis with 7.5 followed by Destiny
with 7. Her oldest sister Angelil is 11th followed by Angel Magno with 5 points
with wins over Thomas, Eric, Francois, Paquito and Angelil.
Eric
has 2 points, Francois with 1.5 and Thomas --.5 It was a very successful event.
Everybody had a good time. EVERYBODY IS A WINNER!!!
The
“No Pay, No Play” policy was strictly implemented. Although the registration
fee for this event is free, participants must pay their $20.00 one-year
membership fee to PCF. Sofronio ‘Pons’ Mahor didn’t make it because he doesn’t
have $20.00. Jeff Balbalosa has important appointment to go so he was not able
to compete.
It
was revealed by PCF Treasurer Dennis Gonzales that Allan Alcid, the 2nd
place finisher in the just concluded 2016-2017 PNCC, and Jeff didn’t pay their
registration fee of $10.00 each even though Dennis is present in the Opening
Day of the Top 10 Division clashes, wherein Allan is having the reception of
his wedding to Aileen at a nearby Korean Restaurant.
The
awarding of prizes for the 2016-2017 PNCC will be held at Bethlehem Park on
Sunday, Feb. 26 at 5pm. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will follow suit at
7pm with PCF President Eric Ksau Whipps preparing food for 30 persons –potato
salad, fried chicken, red rice and pancit. I will bring in some fruits.
Solution
to last week’s puzzle No. 4436: 1. …Nxd4++ 2. Kg4 Bc8+ 3. Kh4 Nf3#.
This
week’s puzzle No. 4437: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9-10
Volume 26
Issue 15
February 27, 2017
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
Soon to be published as a book
Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 25, 2013 -- February 27, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- February 27, 2017
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