(1432) RECORD-BREAKING TURNOUT IN JUNIOR DIVISION (TBN-Oct. 09, 2017)

THE FUTURE OF PALAU CHESS

                  Young Palau chess players are practicing and preparing for the 2017 PNCC Junior Division that will start Oct. 8. At least 15 kids will join in this 7-round Swiss system event, a record in Palau junior chess history. Mostly, it is double-round robin because of shortness of kids playing chess. The future of chess is getting better with more kids interested in the game of kings. CHEERS TO THE START OF CHESS IN SCHOOL IN PALAU!!!  (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

***This photo was not published because of lack of space***

    RECORD-BREAKING TURNOUT

          IN JUNIOR DIVISION

THE 2017 Palau National Chess Championship will start at Bethlehem Park on Oct. 08 at 2pm with record breaking turnout of junior participants of at least 13 with the youngest one being my piano and chess student Nicholas Nehez and the youngest daughter of Angie Parrado—Kyarii Sisior (1115).

                Four newcomers have registered last Sunday while the final round of Qualifying is being held. They are Rommel and Michael Gulla, Gian Gabriel Claronino; Gladys Anne Paloma’s son Gian is also joining while the other 2 daughters of Angie, Destiny (1491 FIDE Rating) and Angelil Sisior(1452) comprised the 2^nd and 3^rd seed respectively behind 2013 Junior Champion and top seed Ksau Anthony Whipps (1519). His cousin, Zachary Techal Whipps (1137), will join too after a 5-year absence.

                It looks like a family affair as Jennifer Angeles’ son Aome (short for Apple Of My Eye) is also joining the competitive junior division. I saw Aome practiced with his mom and he can easily spot a combination or two. But Nicholas is aggressive and I taught him how write Algebraic notation with both white and black pieces. I have to write a,b,c,d,e,f,g and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 on his very nice chess board to make it easier for him to recognize the squares and numbers of the chess board when I teach him on Wed., Oct. 4 from 4-6pm (one hour piano and 1 hour chess lessons). His grandparents are coming in the opening day to show support. The grandfather praised my teaching in piano and said to Jennifer Nehez while I’m on my way to go back to PRR, “He knocked off the rustiness of Nicholas in playing piano!”

                The contestants in the junior division might have another one if my latest chess student will join, too. It might be another “Chess and Music (Perfect Combination): The Beginning of Chess in Palau” by me if the 6-year-old boy will also learn how to play guitar in the future.

                The numbers of the players in the Top 12 Division have been drawn and it is as follows: 1. Leif Toribiong 2. Jeffrey Balbalosa 3. Paquito Suringa, Jr. 4. Angelo Salvadora 5. Gonzalo Escapatoria, Jr. 6. Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. 7. Manuel Mahor, Jr. 8. Tito Cabunagan 9. Santiago Jr. Tan 10. Dennis Gonzales 11. Roberto Hernandez 12. Rustum Cabuso.

                With this numbering complete, the pairings for 11 rounds is already known. Players have time to study their next opponents with these pairings from round 1-11 as follows:

Round 1 (Oct. 08) 1.Toribiong vs. Cabuso   2. Balbalosa vs. Hernandez   3. Suringa, Jr. vs. Gonzales   4. Salvadora vs. Tan  5. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Cabunagan   6. Montel, Jr. vs. Mahor, Jr.

Round 2 (Oct. 15)

1.       Cabuso vs. Mahor, Jr.   2. Cabunagan vs. Montel, Jr.   3. Tan vs. Escapatoria, Jr.   4. Gonzales vs. Salvadora   5. Hernandez vs. Suringa, Jr.   6. Toribiong vs. Balbalosa 
Round 3 (Oct. 22)

1.       Balbalosa vs. Cabuso   2. Suringa, Jr. vs. Toribiong   3. Salvadora vs. Hernandez   4. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Gonzales   5. Montel, Jr. vs. Tan   6. Mahor, Jr. vs. Cabunagan   
 Round 4 (Oct. 29)

1.       Cabuso vs. Cabunagan   2. Tan vs. Mahor, Jr.   3. Gonzales vs. Montel, Jr.   4. Hernandez vs. Escapatoria, Jr.   5. Toribiong vs. Salvadora   6. Balbalosa vs. Suringa, Jr.
Round 5 (Nov. 05)

1.       Suringa, Jr. vs. Cabuso   2. Salvadora vs. Balbalosa   3. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Toribiong   4. Montel, Jr. vs. Hernandez   5. Mahor, Jr. vs. Gonzales   6. Cabunagan vs. Tan      
Round 6 (Nov. 12)

1.       Cabuso vs. Tan   2. Gonzales vs. Cabunagan   3. Hernandez vs. Mahor, Jr.   4. Toribiong vs. Montel, Jr.   5. Balbalosa vs. Escapatoria, Jr.   6. Suringa, Jr. vs. Salvadora   
Round 7 (Nov. 19)

1.       Salvadora vs. Cabuso   2. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Suringa, Jr.   3. Montel, Jr. vs. Balbalosa   4. Mahor, Jr. vs. Toribiong   5. Cabunagan vs. Hernandez   6. Tan vs. Gonzales         
Round 8 (Nov. 26)

1.       Cabuso vs. Gonzales   2. Hernandez vs. Tan   3. Toribiong vs. Cabunagan   4. Balbalosa vs. Mahor, Jr.    5. Suringa, Jr. vs. Montel, Jr.   6. Salvadora vs. Escapatoria, Jr.           
Round 9 (Dec. 03)

1.       Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Cabuso   2. Montel, Jr. vs. Salvadora   3. Mahor, Jr. vs. Suringa, Jr.   4. Cabunagan vs. Balbalosa  5. Tan vs. Toribiong   6. Gonzales vs. Hernandez 
Round 10 (Dec. 10)

1.       Cabuso vs. Hernandez   2. Toribiong vs. Gonzales   3. Balbalosa vs. Tan   4. Suringa, Jr. vs. Cabunagan   5. Salvadora vs. Mahor, Jr.   6. Escapatoria, Jr. vs. Montel, Jr.  
Round 11 (Dec. 17)

1.       Montel, Jr. vs. Cabuso   2. Mahor, Jr. vs. Escapatoria, Jr.   3. Cabunagan vs. Salvadora   4. Tan vs. Suringa, Jr.   5. Gonzales vs. Balbalosa   6. Hernandez vs. Toribiong

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3841: 1. Qxg7+!! Kxg7 2. Bh6+ Kxf6 3. g5#

This week’s puzzle No. 3842: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               Page 9
               Volume 26
               Issue 82
               October 09, 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 -- October 09, 2017

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