From left, Leon Ryan, President of Guam Echecs and organizer of 2013 Guam Chess Tilt, Palau's Jeff Balbalosa, champ Poland's Jacek Stopa, who is willing to come to Palau's PICC in November, Palau's Ksau Anthony Whipps and Chief Arbiter and President of Oceania Chess Confederation FM Brian Jones of Australia. BEST ORGANIZED GUAM CHESS TOURNAMENT --ALA WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD!!!
(Photo by Jeff Balbalosa)
JEFF SCORED 4 PTS., KSAU-3 AND JOY -1
IN 2013 GUAM CHESS TILT
THREE chess players represented Palau in the 2013 Guam International Open Chess Tournament held from Feb. 15-20 at Bayview Hotel in Tumon.
They are Jeffrey D. Balbalosa, with FIDE rating of 1626 and currently Palau’s no. 10 player. He scored 4 points from 3 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses in this 9-round Swiss system tourney.
Nine-year-old Ksau Anthony Whipps (1392) won 2 games, lost 5 and drew 2 for a total of 3 points while his unrated mom Joy Flores Whipps scored a whole point from 2 draws and 7 losses.
Fifteen invited players from Australia, Taiwan, Korea, England, Poland and Palau took part in the event organized by Guam Echecs – Island Chess Club President Leon Ryan, who also participated in the open tilt.
The other 15 players are from Guam where 3 of them finished tied at 3rd place. The tournament was won by top seed International Master (IM) Jacek Stopa of Poland, who swept all of his 9 opponents for a perfect score of 9/9. He is followed by Ashwin Sewambar of Taipei and FIDE Master (FM) Chris Briscoe of England.
4this last year’s champ from Australia Leon Kempen and the remaining finalists, Felix Lacno, Miguel Herrares, Paul Sumilong and Jonathan Molod are all from Guam.
Roberto Hernandez, resident musician of Palau Royal Resort and the Secretary/Treasurer of Palau Chess Federation, was contacted by Kim Taylor of ABC Radio Australia of how can they interview any of the Palau representative in the said tourney.
He was able to set a date for the interview with Jeff on Monday, Feb. 25 at 10:20 am (Palau time). This is another way of promoting chess in Palau—in Australia and to the world.
Oceania Chess Confederation President FM Brian Jones praised the effort of Palau in forming a team that participated in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey. He said that if Palau had done it, Guam can, too. He also added that he hopes that Guam can send a team to the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway where Palau will be sending Men (Open) and Women’s team.
The first tourney of PCF for the year 2013 will fire off on Feb. 24, Sunday at Tito Cabunagan/Jose Celiz’ residence at the 2nd floor of Malakal Ocean Mart with 41 players participating in Group A, B, Women and junior divisions.
The players of the Group A and B have been drawn during the Annual General Meeting of PCF held on Feb. 10, 2013 at PRR.
14 new players were added to the ever-growing interested players most notably the 10-year-old daughter of Palau’s top chess player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. – Cyrelle Ann Montel; new employee of PRR Leizl Michael; newly elected PCF President Eric Ksau Whipps; his father Surangel Whipps, Sr.; Franz Bawotong; Joey Balute; David Wong; Remrel Dizon; Kenyan Nasser Okoth and Gerald Sungino, who withdrew from the tournament because he just got a high position job in the government a few days ago.
Four come-backing players were also added to the list – Glen Navarosa, who participated in 2002 All-Filipino Chess tournament and 2002 Open, Michael Jordan (MJ) Ngiratechekii, who took part in 2003 Age Group Chess tourney, former chairman of PCF Francis ‘Sno’ Temaungil and George Anzawa.
The format of the tournament will be published next issue.
Solution to this week’s puzzle: 1. Qxg7+!! Kxg7 2. Bf6+ Kg8 3. Nh6 mate
This week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13 & 15
Volume 22
Issue 16
February 25, 2013
Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13 & 15
Volume 22
Issue 16
February 25, 2013
