(1190) 2011 RAPID CHESS FIRES OFF AT PRR (TBN-March 14, 2011)

Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 12-13
             Volume 20
             Issue 11
             March 14, 2011

(1021) 2009 PAQUITO SURINGA CUP (July 05 -- Oct. 29, 2009)

From left to right (Participants of 2009 Paquito Suringa Cup)
     Jerome Ratunil, Morris Apresto, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Ferdie Altea and Rey Alenain.

                    2009 PAQUITO SURINGA CUP

                                 Rapid Chess Tournament

                           Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1

                               July 05 – October 29, 2009

FINAL STANDINGS ---   CLASS A

                                                                                                                Win         Loss        Draw       Total       Rank

1.       ROBERTO HERNANDEZ                                                        12           1              3              13.5        1

2.       NINO FLORES                                                                          9             5              2              10           2

3.       JOEL FLOR                                                                               8             5              3              9.5          3

4.       ARNEL OGALESCO                                                                 6             5              5              8.5          4

5.       PAQUITO SURINGA, JR.                                                        7             8              1              7.5          5

6.       JAIME GUEVARRA                                                                 4             7              5              6.5          6

7.       ANDRES MESTIZO II                                                              5             9              2              6              7

8.       ROBERT TUBICE                                                                     0             4             12             6              8

9.       JOMAR ALERTA                                                                     2             9              5              4.5           9

Top 4 semifinals –    November 29, 2009

No. 1 Roberto Hernandez vs. No. 4 Arnel Ogalesco   1-0

PAQUITO SURINGA CUP SEMI-FINALS

Nov. 29, 2009

White: ROBERTO HERNANDEZ (1830)

Black: ARNEL OGALESCO

            1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 c5 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qf3+ Ke8 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Qxe4 dxc3 11. Nxc3 Nc6 12. Nd5 Qd8 13. Nf3 Ne7 14. 0-0-0 b6?? 15. Nxe7 Rb8 16. Nc6 Bb7 17. Nxd8 Bxe4 18. Nf7 Kxf7 19. Ng5+ Ke7 20. Nxe4 Rhf8 21. g3 h6 22. f4 Ke6 23. Rd6+ Kf5 24. Re1 Rfd8 25. h3 h5 26. Nf6 Bb7 27. Nxh5 Rg8 28. g4#

                                No. 2. Nino Flores vs. No. 3 Joel Flor      0-1

FINALS –       November 29, 2009

                 Game 1 Roberto Hernandez vs. Joel Flor   (Draw)

                 Game 2 Joel Flor vs. Roberto Hernandez    0-1

CASH PRIZE – Roberto Hernandez -Champion   $30.00

                         Joel Flor –runner-up -                      15.00

                        FINAL STANDINGS --- CLASS B

                                                                                                                Win         Loss        Draw       Total       Rank

1.       REY ALENAIN                                                                         12           4              0              12           1

2.       MIGUEL GANCAYCO                                                             11           4              1              11.5        2

3.       JEROME RATUNIL                                                                 11           4              1              11.5        3

4.       ELIZALDE MADRINAN                                                          10           3              3              11.5        4

5.       FERDIE ALTEA                                                                        7              9              0              7             5

6.       RANDY SIOSON                                                                     6              9              1              6.5          6

7.       MAR JOEL GABRIS                                                                6              10           0              6              7

8.       GEORGE GABRIS                                                                   3              11           2              4              8

9.       RONEL GUTIERREZ                                                                2              12           2              3              9

Top 4 Semifinals –   November 29, 2009

No. 1   Rey Alenain vs. No. 4 Elizalde Madrinan   1-0

No. 2   Miguel Gancayco vs. No. 3 Jerome Ratunil   1-0

                                 Jerome Ratunil, left, setting the clock for his game vs. Rey Alenain. Robert Tubice, middle, is in deep thought against Andres Mestizo II, right.                       (Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

                FINALS ---       November 29, 2009

         Rey Alenain vs. Miguel Gancayco   0-1

                CASH PRIZE -  Miguel Gancayco – Champion -- $30.00

                                         Rey Alenain – Runner-up                15.00

TIME CONTROL – 30 minutes for each player to finish the game.

Tournament Organizer – Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr.

Tournament Arbiter -- Roberto Hernandez

L-R  Mar Joel Gabris, Rey Alenain, Gracie Alenain, Randy Sioson, Roberto Hernandez, Paquito Suringa, Jr., Tonet Medillo and Miguel Gancayco.        (Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

L-R  Mar Joel Gabris, George Gabris, Rey Alenain, Morris Apresto and Paquito Suringa, Jr.
(Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

L-R Miguel Gancayco, Rey Alenain, Gracie Alenain, Randy Sioson, Roberto Hernandez, Mar Joel Gabris, Jaime Guevarra, Ronel Gutierrez and Paquito Suringa, Jr.      (Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

   

Maricar Baules and Val Taylo are not contestants of Paquito Suringa Cup. They are just practicing chess using the vacant chess materials.
(Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

Mar Joel Gabris shakes hands with Rey Alenain before the start of their game. Ferdie Altea, left, and Paquito Suringa, Jr., right, watch the game from the sideline.

(Photo by: Roberto Hernandez)

Source:

The History of Chess in Palau

By Roberto Hernandez

June 09- October 29, 2009 

(1012) HERNANDEZ SCORES 12 STRAIGHT (TBN-Feb. 27, 2012)

HERNANDEZ VS. 4 PRR PLAYERS
     Left to right, Ferdinand Gutierrez, Rey Alenain, Roberto Hernandez, Mar Joel Gabris and Miguel Gancayco posed before the start of their games in which Hernandez played the four all at a time on Friday, February 24, 2012 at the resumption of 3rd Pax Cup Rapid Chess tourney.                                                 (Photo by Lee Lozano)



           

IN THE RESUMPTION of 3^rd Pax Cup Rapid Chess tournament at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1 on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, top seed Roberto Hernandez clobbered 2^nd seed Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr. in 31 moves of Sicilian Defence at 2:30 pm.

Pax won a piece (bishop) on the 13^th move but committed a blunder 11 moves later when instead of 24. Rc8, he moved Kd7, leaving a whole rook unprotected. Another mistake on the 29^th move cost him his queen and bishop for a pair of rooks. After losing his last remaining piece, Pax resigned on the 31^st move.

Rudel Roxas also played his first game vs. Hernandez and quickly lost the 1^st and 2^nd game. Ferdinand Gutierrez is not available at that time to have at least 2 opponents for Hernandez at the same time as odds to lower rated players.

 At 7:30 pm, Hernandez played 4 PRR players at the same time with him having all the white pieces on all boards. At board 1 is Gutierrez, at 2 is Rey Alenain, who split his match with Mar Joel Gabris earlier. At board 3 is Miguel Gancayco and Gabris at board 4. They are using 3 digital chess clock whose time control is 20 minutes for each player to finish the game plus 10 seconds increment starting from move 1. The other clock (mechanical) is being used in Hernandez vs. Gancayco match with 30 minutes each for both players to finish the game.

Gabris is the first one to get mated after he lost his queen very early in the game. Gutierrez followed suit but Alenain gave Hernandez the toughest fight with the latter having 39 seconds remaining in his clock. Alenain tried to beat Hernandez on time forfeit and moves quickly also that cost him the game as Hernandez forked his king and rook to equalize and later promoted a pawn into a queen to survived Rey’s onslaught.

Hernandez is also down by 2 pieces in his game vs. Gancayco but a powerful pin on Miguel’s king enabled Hernandez to equalize and been ahead by a piece instead. A mating net was being weaved by Hernandez and after a loss of another piece, Gancayco resigned to the relief of Hernandez, who focus more on his game with Rey as he is in extreme time trouble against him.

 After the games, the crowd appreciates Rey and Miguel’s efforts in giving Hernandez tough matches. Analyses show that with precise defense and attack, Rey and Miguel should have scored upsets. Later in the night, Rey took the measure of Miguel to have an even night with 2 wins and 2 losses.

Standings of players and their win-loss-draw record: 1. Roberto Hernandez (12-0-0) 2. Paquito Suringa, Jr. (7-4-1) 3. Rudel Roxas (6-6-0) 4. Rey Alenain (5-6-0) 5. Ronnie Capio (4-7-1) 6. Ferdinand Gutierrez (4-6-0) 7. Dan Roldan (2-8-0) 8. Mar Joel Gabris (1-2-0) 9. Miguel Gancayco (0-2-0). Jeffrey Negrillo, Edwin Acuyan and Ferdie Altea have yet to play a game. Elizalde Madrinan and Nino Flores have withdrawn due to schedule conflict.

Adele Anzawa has informed Hernandez that she and her son George will not make it to the Palau women’s team in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey to be held on August 27-Sept. 12, 2012. They will be having a vacation instead in Hong Kong in June or July in time of school break.

This development opens the door for another Palau player (male or female) to be with the team as Team Captain of Palau women’s team. If Paquito can save for his airfare, he might be included as team captain and will be a reserve player in the men’s (Open) division if one of the 5 committed players (Hernandez, Tito Cabunagan, Bernard Garcia, Menandro Manuel and reserve Mohammad Manik Hossain) will not make it to Istanbul.

The women’s team is composed of Angie Parrado, Elizabeth Manuel (Menandro’s wife), and the possibility of including Karen Lee and Ann Acebron to the list as they are already listed under Palau at FIDE website. Ma. Florida Hernandez might be included as reserve and those last 3 in the list have a few months to find airfare sponsors to grab this once in a lifetime opportunity.

One possible problem that Manik is facing is getting a Turkish visa. He’s a holder of Bangladesh passport and he has to get the visa in Bangladesh while the others will get theirs in Philippines. After the invitation from the organizers have been sent to Palau Chess Federation, Manik might have to go ahead of the team members to get his visa in Bangladesh and meet the other members in Istanbul. GOOD LUCK, MANIK!!!

Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
              Tia Belau Newspaper
               Pages 9-10
              Volume 21 
               Issue 09   
               February 27, 2012

                                            )

(862) MUSIC AND ME (Dec. 04, 2014) TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CHOIR OF PRR RESUMES

There is no Traditional Palau Royal Resort Choir in the year 2013. Maybe due to the fact that Roberto Hernandez is not working full time that started in June 01, 2013. But there is Christmas Tree Lighting at the lobby of PRR and the snack/drinks were served at Breeze Bar. All guests are in-house guests. It seems like something is missing -- THE SINGING!
             In 2014, it was held at Breeze Bar with almost half of the choir members are new employees.
                                                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)                       

As usual, Lucille Partisala is the conductor. Practices are held every Friday at 5 pm. Five songs were prepared by Roberto -- 1. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon 2. Christmas Story 3. Jingle Bell Rock 4. Belau For Christmas (by Johnny B) 5. Feliz Navidad (with the last part in Palauan language).
It becomes 6 songs when during practice, the Silent Night was added.
                                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Palau Royal Resort T-shirt were given to the members of the choir and wear it with denim pants. Santa Claus hats were also provided.                                                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

The Christmas Tree Lighting was held on Dec. 05, 2014. Performance by Emmaus School Choir before it gets dark. After the performance of PRR Choir, the Christmas Tree Lighting was done by in-house guests - Japanese, Taiwanese, American, Korean and Palauan.                         (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Pam, left, and Jovy Rodriguez, right, were assigned at the refreshment station (drinks and food).
                                                                 (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Solo shot of Lei, one of the members of PRR choir, after their performance.

 (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Photo session with Japanese guests with Den Flores, the bartender, posing in the background with Roberto's Yamaha guitar. The Japanese lady in the middle is in a wheelchair. 

 (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Sound Technician Ramiro Torre, had a shot at the end of his superb handling of sound equipments.
                                                                (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

This Japanese couple enjoyed my music yesterday at the same place -- Breeze Bar. After this photo session, I talk to them in Japanese. I told them that it's my day off today. The lady said, "But you're here working."
When I'm having dinner, I sat at the table beside them. The guy gave me a glass of red wine. I said thank you when I've got the red wine and said, "Kampai" while our GM Masayuki Kawaguchi is at the other table with the 2 ladies (Japanese, one is in wheelchair). A younger Japanese couple (walk-in guest) arrive and I finished my dinner fast to accommodate them.                                 (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

A Korean guest didn't let go the chance to have a photo with Santa Claus even though he has just got out of the pool and in swimming trunks.                                                (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

While Santa Claus is giving away gifts to children and non-children guests, I am singing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" sometimes changing the lyrics to "Santa Claus is Ungiil Tutau"  -- it rhymes!
                                                  "Ungiil Tutau" is Palau word meaning "Good Morning".
                                                                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Santa Claus with 5 Taiwanese interns at Palau Royal Resort.
                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
             The Beginning of Chess in Palau
             By Roberto Hernandez
             December 2014
             To be published as a book in the future