(1421) DENNIS, ANGIE, ANGEL, JOJO AND JUN WIN IN 1st ROUND (TBN-September 11, 2017)

GAME OF THE WEEK – BOBOT VS. JUN

                Their game lasted more than 3 hours and 85 moves made. In the end, Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr., right, converted his 1-pawn advantage to a victory and dealt the undefeated 2017 PRCC champion Bobot Tan his  first loss in Palau. Other 1^st round matches featured Leif Toribiong, left, losing to Dennis Gonzales; Baby Edna “Bheng” Mission, 2^nd from right, succumbing to Angelo Salvadora; Jennifer Angeles, standing in the background, bowing to Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr. and Angelica Parrado mating Wilson Barrameda (both covered by Tito Cabunagan and Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. practicing blitz chess).              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

 DENNIS, ANGIE, ANGEL, JOJO and 

        JUN WIN IN 1st ROUND 

                THIS qualifying tourney of 2017 Palau National Chess Championship is the most competitive ever with Palau’s top 3 women players joining the field of 11 qualifiers to get more quality games against tough opposition.  They are WNM Angie Parrado, Baby Edna “Bheng” Mission and Jennifer Angeles.

                After checking the FIDE website for Angelo Salvadora’s standard rating, I’ve found out that his rating (1643) is higher than Dennis Gonzales’ 1618 rating. After some consultation with Dennis, he said Angelo is inactive that’s why he is not listed in the latest FIDE ratings of Palau chess players. After some more ideas were explored, I posted on FB that this thing needs to be decided 2 days before the start of the 1^st round on Sept. 03.

                Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Whipps have given a decision that didn’t come to my mind—to let Angelo and Dennis play both in the qualifying that satisfies everybody. The top 6 of Palau are now waiting for the other 6 qualifying positions—No. 7, No. 8 (Palauan qualifier) and No. 9-12.

                Before 3pm at Bethlehem Park, the 1^st round begins with top seed Bobot Tan (1734-Rapid rating) fitted against 6^th seed Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr.; 7^th seed Bheng (1496) vs. 2^nd seed Angel; 3^rd seed Dennis vs. 8^th seed Palauan Leif Toribiong (1439); 9^th seed Jennifer (1165) vs. 4^th seed Gonzalo “Jojo” Escapatoria, Jr. (1589) and 5^th seed Angie (1551) vs. Wilson Barrameda (no rating yet). Latecomer Neph Macasaet (1510) had a BYE, which means a win.

                Angie mated Wilson in just 16 moves of Queen’s Gambit Accepted; Angel nips Bheng in 20 moves of Queen’s Pawn Game; Dennis mated Leif with a pawn on the 24^th move and Jojo mated Jennifer on the 28^th move of another Queen’s Pawn Game.

                The game of the week lasted till past 6pm between Jun and Bobot. After the exchange of queens on the 20^th move, Jun is ahead in exchange (a rook for a bishop) and keeps the pressure ahead by only a pawn on the 7^th rank. Bobot resigned on a marathon 85 moves being watch by a small crowd.

                I was not able to inform the participants of the Ground Rules for this PNCC. I was asked to make one during the Board Meeting on Aug. 28 at Eric’s office…

                GROUND RULES (2017 Qualifying and PNCC)--Verbally and internally ---

ASIDE FROM FIDE RULES, HERE ARE SOME GROUND RULES FOR THIS 2017 QUALIFYING AND PNCC:

1.       We will use Algebraic notation strictly. If a player still writes English notation, press his clock and he can press it again after completing the moves in Algebraic notation.

2.       Set your CP on silent mode. If you need to answer a CP call, you should answer it when it’s your turn to move. Tito is always on-call. If he is playing and he has a duty call, he must answer it when it’s his turn to move. If he can’t wait for his opponent’s reply, he can ask his opponent to press his clock while he is answering the phone and he must answer it farther from the venue.

3.       If I am playing and acting as an Arbiter, too and there is a complaint, my clock will be stopped if it’s my turn to move. If it’s my opponent’s turn to move, he should stop the clock after completing his move while I’m still settling the complaint/s.

4.       When complaining about an illegal move or a violation, don’t make a move, stop the clock and call an Arbiter (me, Angie, Tito or Jennifer). If you make a move, you allow the illegal move and the game will continue. After an illegal move has been settled, 2 minutes will be deducted and at the 2^nd illegal move, it’s an automatic loss to that player.

                                ROUND 2 PAIRINGS: (First name to play the white pieces)

1.       Salvadora vs. Parrado 2. Mahor, Jr. vs. Gonzales 3. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Macasaet 4. Toribiong vs. Tan 5. Angeles vs. Mission 6. Barrameda –BYE  (1-0)

This 5-rd. qualifying tournament will conclude on Oct. 1. Right away, Oct. 8, the Top 12 Division (Single round-robin), Women’s, Junior and Reserves Divisions will start and will conclude on Dec. 17 to avoid the last 2 Sundays of 2017--Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) and Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve).

    

                Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3764: 1. Ne6+! dxe6 2. Bh6+ Kg8 3. Nf6#

                This week’s puzzle No. 3766: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               Pages 9-10
               Volume 26
               Issue 72 
               September 11, 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 -- September 11, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- September 11, 2017