(1613) PHOTOS OF FINAL ROUND OF 2018 P.N.C.C. (Dec. 23, 2018 at Ernguul Park)

   PHOTOS OF FINAL ROUND OF
 2018 Palau National Chess Championship
                       Dec. 23, 2018
                    at Ernguul Park

 At the cellar is Morton Sawaichi, who has yet to score a point and half point at least for a draw to have his initial rating.

Samuel Palingcod, right,  and Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. had a draw.

The latest Junior champion Gian Gabriel Claronino, right, had lost only 1 game (vs. Aome Angeles) and clinched the junior division in a style--sweeping the other 3 participants. They have to do a double round-robin as there are only 5 players that made it because of busy Christmas season.

Charley Patris, right, won over Reece Reklai, left. Maybe Charley will have an increase in his 1274 FIDE Rating as he scored 3 points in this event.

Despite the loss in the final round to Tito Cabunagan, right, Neph Macasaet finished the tourney with 4 points. That might be enough to improve his 1555 rating.

Morton Sawaichi finally scored a whole point by mating Glen Navarroza, right.

My game with Bobot Tan, left, is an exciting one heading for a draw but Bobot captured the b7 pawn that allowed me to force the exchange of queens with me having a passed f pawn that clinches the 3rd spot (6 points). l won my first round game over Jello, lost the next 3 to Cyril, Jun Mahor and Dennis but won the last 5 over Morton, Neph, Charley, Pax and Bobot. It's almost the same story in the 2002 All-Filipino Chess Tournament in June 09, 2002 (the first ever chess tournament in Palau) where I won my last 4 games (against Lemuel Bacor, Mike Miguel, Jr., Consul General Julius Torres and Vincent Vergara) to clinched 3rd runner-up.

The last game of the day is another draw between Jeff Balbalosa, right and Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. (both are my teammates in the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaihan) in an endgame of bishop of the same color. 

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- December 26, 2018

               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 -- December 26, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- December 26, 2018

(1612) BOBOT CLINCHED 2018 PNCC PLUM WITH A ROUND TO SPARE (TBN-Dec. 24, 2018)

JEYRALD LOMBOY—5 YEARS IN PALAU, FIRST TIME TO JOIN CHESS TOURNAMENT NEXT YEAR

                  There are 2 newcomers in the ongoing 2018 PNCC—Samuel Palingcod, Angelito Mintar, Jr. Another newcomer will join the fray and his name is Jeyrald Lomboy, left, the 29-year-old 5 years working in Palau but never participated in any Palau chess tournament. He is sure to join in the 2019 Palau Blitz Chess Championship in January. I told him to pay the one-year membership fee ($20.00) next year as it is already December. FOURTEEN NEW CHESS PLAYERS HAVE JOINED IN THE 3^RD BATCH OF P.M.A. Chess in School. Many new chess players (old and young) participated in the 1^st Surangel Chess Team Tournament. CHESS IS BOOMING IN PALAU!!!

                                           (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

   BOBOT CLINCHED 2018 P.N.C.C.

       WITH A ROUND TO SPARE

Depending champion Bobot Tan nipped Jeff Balbalosa in the penultimate round of 2018 PNCC Open Division to clinch his 2nd PNCC title and qualified outright as the first member of Palau Chess Team to the 2020 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

 In 3 special games held at Koror and Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1, top seed Cyril Tomas Almitante-Montel clobbered Angelo Salvadora while Manuel Mahor, Jr. and Tito Cabunagan halved the point. I defeated Paquito Suringa Jr. in a match held at PRR on Dec. 14.

 At Bethlehem Park, Samuel Palingcod drubbed Jello Aguaras; Gonzalo Escapatoria upended Angelito Mintar Jr while Neph Macasaet outsmarted Reece Reklai in king and pawns endgame.

The earliest game was between Dennis Gonzales and Morton Sawaichi, where Dennis dealt Morton his 8th straight losses. And the longest game was between Mohammad Manik Hossain and Glen Navarroza that ended with Manik being mated by the promoted queen of Glen. Charley Patris didn't show up and gave the whole point to Remrel Dizon.

In the junior division, Aome Angeles stalled Gian Gabriel Claronino's quest for his first chess title in Palau when he defeated him in their first game of their double round-robin division clash. All Gian need is a win in his last 3 games to clinch the junior division. The last games of their division are Gian vs. Rommel Gulla (2 games); Aome vs. Gian and Kyarii vs. Aome (2^nd game).

In the Women’s Division, Jennifer Angeles finished all her games and got 1.5 points after she lost to Angelil Sisior. The victory of Angelil clinched the 1^st runner-up title for her with a round to spare (vs. Bheng aka Baby Edna Mission)—the last remaining game in their division.

THIS IS THE FINAL ROUND MATCHES: 1. Bobot Tan vs. Me 2. Samuel Palingcod vs. Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. 3. Jeff Balbalosa vs. Paquito Suringa, Jr. 4. Angelo Salvadora vs. Gonzalo Escapatoria 5. Tito Cabunagan vs. Neph Macasaet 6. Jello Aguaras vs. Dennis Gonzales (0-1)  7. Remrel Dizon vs. Manuel Mahor, Jr.  8. Angelito Mintar, Jr. vs. Mohammad Manik Hossain 9. Glen Navarroza vs. Morton Sawaichi and 10. Reece Reklai vs. Charley Patris.

STANDINGS AFTER 8 ROUNDS: 1. Tan, Jr., Santiago (7.5 pts.) 2. Montel, Jr. Cyril Tomas (6) 3. Suringa, Jr., Paquito (5) 4. Balbalosa, Jeffrey (5) 5. Hernandez, Roberto (5) 6. Palingcod, Samuel (5) 7. Escapatoria, Gonzalo (4.5) 8. Salvadora, Angelo (4.5) 9. Cabunagan, Tito (4.5) 10. Mahor, Jr., Manuel (4) 11. Gonzales, Dennis (4) 12. Macasaet, Neph (4) 13. Aguaras, Jello (4) 14. Mintar, Jr., Angelito (3.5) 15. Navarroza, Glen (3.5) 16. Dizon, Remrel (3) 17. Hossain, Mohammad Manik (2.5) 18. Reklai, Reece (2.5) 19. Patris, Charley 20. Sawaichi, Morton (0).

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3496: 1. Rg7 any move by Black 2. Rb8#

This week’s puzzle No. 3497: White to move and mates in 2 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               Page 9
               Volume 27 
               Issue 102
               December 24, 2018

              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 -- December 24, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- December 24, 2018

(1603) BOBOT--SOLO LEADER OF 2018 PNCC OPEN DIVISION (TBN-Nov. 19, 2018)

MORTON VS. CHARLEY; CYRIL VS. BOBOT

                    The crucial 3^rd round matches between 2 Palauan bets Morton Sawaichi, left, and Charley Patris, right, resulted in Charley outwitting Morton for his first point while in the background, the 2 undefeated players clash in mental combat with Bobot Tan, right, dealing Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., left, his first loss of the tourney. Bobot will face Angelo Salvadora, his teammate in 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. Morton and Charley are prospects to be included in the 2020 WCO in Russia if they will continue to be active in PCF tournaments.

                                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

       BOBOT -- SOLO LEADER OF

                 2018 P.N.C.C. 

               OPEN DIVISION

Palau’s newest CM and top seed Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. suffered his first defeat at the hands of Batumi Olympiad Teammate Bobot Tan in the resumption of 3^rd round action of 2018 PNCC held on Nov. 11 at Ernguul Park. Gonzalo ‘Jojo’ Escapatoria, Jr. and Angelo Salvadora are just half point behind Bobot with Jojo whipping newcomer Samuel Palingcod and Salvadora drawing with Tito Cabunagan, who is the 4^th remaining undefeated player.

                Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. took advantage of Neph Macasaet’s shortness of time to record his 2^nd win. Neph is coaching a basketball team when Pax started his time while waiting for him. I missed a winning continuation with my game against Manuel ‘Jun’ Mahor, Jr. by exchanging queens. It’s getting dark and 2 players are just using their cell phones’ flashlight to cope with darkness in our game.

                Jeff Balbalosa has to squeeze every ounce of his resources to outplay Mohammad Manik Hossain while the other newcomer Angelito Mintar, Jr. clobbered Remrel Dizon. Reece Reklai, the only junior player in the Open Division, didn’t show up to give Dennis Gonzales a default win over him while Glen Navarroza and Charley Patris recorded their first win by trouncing Jello Aguaras and Morton Sawaichi respectively.

                In the Women’s Division, everybody is waiting for the return of Joan Gemota so that they will start their game vs. her. Palau’s new Woman FIDE Master Angelica Parrado asked for score sheets that she will use for her games against her 2 daughters Angelil and Destiny. The junior division has a double round-robin as there are only 5 contestants among them.

                After the last game was concluded, I was able to set the 4^th round pairings as follows: 1. Bobot vs. Angelo 2. Cyril vs. Jojo 3. Tito vs. Jeff 4. Pax vs. Angelito 5. Sam vs. Jun 6. Me vs. Dennis 7. Remrel vs. Glen 8. Neph vs. Charley 9. Reece vs. Manik and 10. Jello vs. Morton.

                The 4^th round game of Pax and Angelito was played at the former residence on Tue. And Pax prevailed in 28 moves of French Defense.

                I will be doing an inventory of Palau Chess Federation’s properties starting this Sunday, Nov. 18 at the start of the 4^th round of 2018 PNCC. Those players who borrowed chess equipments must returned it with the tournament size chess boards to be replaced by medium size chess sets that were donated by Asian Chess Federation through Oceania Chess Confederation reelected President Paul Spiller. The 16 new sets of tournament size chess boards and pieces will not be lend to anybody because those are the ones being used in the ongoing 2018 PNCC. I will also do the inventory of tables and chairs owned by PCF. Five sets of medium size chess pieces and boards and 5 new chess clocks were lent to Leif Toribiong during the 2018 1^st Surangel Chess Team Tournament for his Purple Team to practice on.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3795: 1. Rxg5+! Kf7 2. Qh7+ Kf8 3. Rg8#

                This week’s puzzle No. 3796: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9-10

               Volume 27 

               Issue 92

               November 19, 2018

               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 -- November 91, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau

              By Roberto Hernandez

              June 09, 2002 -- November 19, 2018

(1601) PHOTOS OF ROUND 3 -- 2018 PALAU NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP (Nov. 11, 2018)

PHOTOS --- 2018 PALAU NATIONAL  CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP --ROUND 3 (Nov. 11)

Top seed and Palau's new CM Cyril Tomas Almitante-Montel suffered his first defeat from Batumi Chess Olympiad teammate Bobot Tan while Angel Salvadora and Tito Cabunagan drew their game.

 Paquito Suringa Jr. took advantage of his time advantage vs. Neph Macasaet, who coached a basketball game before his game, and prevailed.

 I lost my 3rd round game vs. Manuel Mahor when I overlooked a winning line by exchanging queens. Gonzalo Escapatoria clobbered newcomer Samuel Palingcod while Jeff Balbalosa has to squeezed every ounce of his resources to outplay Manik Hossain.

 Another newcomer Angelito Mintar, Jr. took the measure of Remrel Dizon. Reece Reklai didn't show up so Dennis Gonzales won over him by default. 

Glen Navarroza (Osman M Marte) dealt Jello Aguaras his 3rd straight loss so do Charley Patris to Morton Sawaichi for his first point. 


4th round pairings is as follows: 1. Bobot vs. Angelo 2. Cyril vs. Jojo 3. Tito vs. Jeff 4. Paquito vs. Angelito 5. Sam vs. Jun Mahor 6. Me vs. Dennis 7. Remrel vs. Glen 8. Neph vs. Charley 9. Manik Hossain vs. Reece Reklai 10. Jello vs. Morton.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
                 Tia Belau News
                 December 29, 2002 -- November 15, 2018

                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 News
                March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
                http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
                April 25, 2013 -- November 15, 2018

                The History of Chess in Palau
                By Roberto Hernandez
                June 09, 2002 -- November 15, 2018