2017 BLITZ CO-CHAMPION
Rustum Cabuso, left, won the 2017 Palau Blitz Chess Championship by edging me in the tiebreak. I took the silver medal while Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Palau’s top chess player in the last 8 years, took the bronze by edging Tito Cabunagan in the tiebreak, too.
The Women Division of 2017 PNCC has only 5 participants. Thus, all of them—WNM Angelica Parrado, 2016 champ Baby Edna “Bheng” Mission, Joan Gemota, Angelica Magno and Jennifer Angeles will be the composition of Palau Women’s Team in the 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia to be held on Sept. 23-Oct. 7.
In the 1st round on Oct. 8, Bheng defeated Angel while Joan can’t convert his tremendous material advantage and stalemated Jennifer for a draw. Angie had a BYE. Rd. 2 on Oct. 15 fits Angel vs. Joan, Angie against Bheng and Jennifer will have a BYE.
In the Junior Division, I can feel the potential of newcomers Reece Reklai, Aome Angeles and my piano/chess student Nicholas Nehez with Reece trumping Gian Paloma and Nicholas took advantage of Kyarii’s blunder and mated her on the 23rd move of unusual d4 d5 opening. Aome had a BYE.
Their Rd. 2 schedule is as follows: 1. Rommel Gulla vs. Kyarii 2. Michael Gulla vs. Angelil Sisior 3. Gian vs. Destiny Sisior 4. Aome vs. Reece and Nicholas will have a BYE. His mother and grandparents decided to spend that Sunday bonding with their relatives as they are only new in Palau for a month.
In the Top 12 Division, Leif Toribiong lost to Rustum Cabuso in 26 moves of French Defense; I and Jeff Balbalosa—draw in 55 moves of Dutch Defense; Dennis Gonzales clobbered Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. in 60 moves of another unusual 1. d4-d5 opening; Bobot Tan outlasted Angelo Salvadora in 55 moves of Caro-Khan Defense (Advance Variation); Top seed and defending champion Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. took the measure of Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr. in 34 moves of Queen’s Gambit Declined (Exchange Variation) and finally, Gonzalo ‘Jojo’ Escapatoria, Jr. missed a simple a3 on the 50th move and did 50. a4?? That costs him the game in 67 moves of Scandinavian Defense.
Because this is a round-robin format, participants were given the chance to play any round games with me and Pax playing our 2nd round game at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1 on Thu. Oct. 12. I won in 38 moves of another Dutch Defense. Rustum and Jun followed suit the next day with the former prevailing in 31 moves of Philidor Defense. Tito and Jun played their 3rd rd. game with Tito prevailing in 40th move of another d4 d5 opening and dealt Jun his 3rd straight loss.
The 2nd round schedule (4 matches) of the Top 12 Division will feature Tito vs. Cyril; Bobot vs. Jojo; Dennis vs. Angelo and Leif vs. Jeff. Pax and Jun will play their rd. 9 match if both are available this Sunday. I will be full time as Chief Arbiter, the reason why I played the game with Pax 3 days earlier.
From Weskey So's FB page on Sept. 29, 2017:
"I want to thank Akaki Lashvili and the organizers of the FIDE World Cup (https://www.facebook.com/TbilisiWorldCup2017) in Tbilisi Georgia. It was a very well run event in a beautiful country. We enjoyed our time there and were able to meet some wonderful Georgian people. We loved the hotel, the food, the atmosphere, the hospitality and friendliness.
"I want to thank Akaki Lashvili and the organizers of the FIDE World Cup (https://www.facebook.com/TbilisiWorldCup2017) in Tbilisi Georgia. It was a very well run event in a beautiful country. We enjoyed our time there and were able to meet some wonderful Georgian people. We loved the hotel, the food, the atmosphere, the hospitality and friendliness.
Yes, I only made it to the semi finals but really no regrets. I was happy to play decently and it was an exciting ride. '
I salute the many talented GM’s who fell out before me. You have to be there and have to play the World Cup to understand. Sitting behind your computer at home it is too easy to fault a chess player for missing an “obvious” move and say you would have done this or that. You weren’t there and if you are criticizing the world’s top GM’s, you never will be.
In a crazy, chancy event like this, even great talent takes a beating. Emotions are very high and the stress chart is off the walls. Everyone knows that one careless decision is the end for you. The playing field is not emotionally even with higher rated GM’s who can lose a lot and lower rated GM’s who can gain a lot even from a draw. I beat a lot of players and made it to the semifinals and still lost 4 valuable rating points. Chess is a mind game and this very long tension filled event plays a lot of tricks on your mind.
Watching one GM after the other leave gives you the chills and you never for a moment feel you survived because you were so much better. You feel that maybe tomorrow you could have your own a rough day at the office and have to go to your room and pack.
Total respect to GM’s Aronian and Ding who fought hard and smart and really deserved to make it to the finals. I just heard that Levon won and he deserved to! Ding also deserved to! Both of them played fantastically. Hopefully I will process what I learned during this World Cup and be the winner one day. I know I have to increase in skill and get more fighting experience in the months to come. Thank you to the many people who sent messages of encouragement and prayer and to those who said a nice word that pushed me through a tough fight.Thank you for the painting, Rho Emmanuel V1208.Looking forward to London Classic.
Lord, you always take me farther than I think I can go. In all things I say, AMDG."
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3842: 1. Qxc8+!! Rxc8 2. Rd8+ Rxd8 3. Rxd8#
This week’s puzzle No. 3843: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9 & 11
Volume 26
Issue 82
October 16, 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 16, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002--October 16, 2017
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