REUNITED IN DIFFERENT WAYS
In July 21, 2017 Pax, Jeff and I were reunited in United Airlines plane during our vacation to Phil. While there, Allan Alcid, 3rd from left and CM Joselito Marcos, 2nd from left, were reunited with us by Facebook/Messenger accounts. All 5 of us were members of 2016 Palau Open Team to the Baku, Azerbaijan World Chess Olympiad and we need to qualify for slots at 2018 WCO in Batumi, Georgia. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
ROB, PAX AND JEFF --
ON THE SAME DATE OF VACATION
Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr., Jeff Balbalosa and I have been teammates in the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. We have 5 uniforms there (4 assorted colored polo shirts and a jacket). The organizers have given us and all participants of that Olympiad a Baku watch, USB, Baku polo shirt and cap, bag, magazines, etc. as souvenirs.
I’m sitting next to Jeff at the United Airlines flight to Philippines on July 21, 2017 with my wife at the isle designated seat, when I noticed that Jeff is also wearing the Baku watch, me and Pax are wearing the blue uniform and jacket and I shouted at Pax and said, “We all wear the same Baku watch, me and Pax are wearing the blue Baku uniform! What a coincidence—Déjà vu. In going back to Palau after 22 days of vacation to Philippines, Pax and I are wearing the same blue polo shirt. Jeff will stay for another week.
At the Palau customs, I am recognized by one of the Customs Officer who called me “Chess Master”. While a lady officer is checking my luggage, another lady officer approached me and asked if I know Paz Ngiratechekii, who’s been a member of Palau Chess Federation since 2012. I said yes and I help her explain the situation—she’s been in Philippines for 1 year, with 6 months of it she stayed in Arizona, USA to be with her daughter. She’s got a USA visa for 10 years. The problem is she spent for air tickets without a place to stay in Palau. Paz is receiving the SS pension of her deceased husband. I recommend for her to stay with my wife for 1 night only and she will have to look for a place to stay. This sounds acceptable to the customs officers and she rode with us in Palau Royal Resort van. She didn’t feel well (high blood pressure) and we drop her at the emergency entrance of BMH.
I brought with me a chess set and clock but I haven’t used it in 22 days of stay. I only played a game against Magnus Carlsen in the app on my cell phone winning with the age of Magnus at 9 years. But Pax has played 5 blitz games near his place where the winner stays seated until beaten. Pax won only once and lost 4 games to those good ‘street’ players as they are playing near the street. They will hold a local tournament on Aug. 18 but Pax is not around anymore on that date.
I have some appreciative chat with Palau’s current No. 2 player Allan Alcid at Messenger. He is still very interested to play in the 2017 Palau National Chess Championship Top 12 Division and currently saving some money for airfare. He asked me to set some games for him where he will be staying for a week or 2 to play all 11 games after the qualifying tournament in Sept. to choose the other 4 players who will qualify in the round-robin Top 12 finals.
I suggested to him to come on a Fri. and play 3 games on Sat. and another 3 on Sun. where a lot of players are available. He can play me and Pax at PRR in the same day and play a single game against any qualifier who is available at night time of week days. He is also hoping that CM Joselito Marcos to be included again as the head of delegation/team captain when the captain is playing or when the women’s team captain is resting on a Sat. matches. He has proven Joselito’s capability as team captain in the 2016 Baku, Azerbaijan World Chess Olympiad. Joselito has broad experiences as team captain/coach/player in the early 1970’s and even had the school he is captaining to a regional championship in his home of Cabanatuan City in the province of Nueva Ecija.
Allan appreciates the continued support and teaching from me and Joselito. He showed a lot of respect for us in terms of sharing our knowledge, time, efforts, financial and moral support to popularize chess in Palau. He is one of the very few Palau Chess Federation members that appreciate our efforts for global recognition of chess in Palau.
Palau’s No. 1 chess player in the last 8 years Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. celebrated his birthday last Aug. 02. I greeted him at Facebook with this: “Happy Birthday to Cyril Tomas Almitante Montel, the No. 1 chess player of Palau in the last 8 years. May you have many more birthdays, blessings, dollars and chess titles to come!” I was overwhelmed with his response—“Thank you Roberto Hernandez. It’s because of what you have done. Nice job.”
Those few people who appreciated my effort are Gary Bekker, Jamie Kenmure, Graeme Gardiner, Brian Jones of Australia, GM Eugene Torre, Almario Marlon Bernardino and Toti Abundo of the Philippines, Calvin Prasad and Dr. Virgilio de Asa of Fiji, FIDE C. E. O. Geoffrey Borg of Malta, PNG’s CM Joselito Marcos, PCF President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, Allan Alcid, Bobot Tan and lately Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. from Palau and hundreds of thousands from USA who keep topping the viewers of http://palau-chess.blogspot.com where they know more about Palau, Palau chess, music, heritage, traditions, people and many other miscellaneous information about Palau.
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 4424: 1. …Rh1+!! 2. Bxh1 Rxh1+ 3. Kg4 h5 #
This week’s puzzle No. 4425: 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 64
August 14, 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
March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 25, 2013 -- August 14, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- August 14, 2017
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