(675) PHOTOS (2004 NON-MASTERS CHESS TOURNAMENT)

Michael Velarde, left, vs. Karen Gennibeth M. Hernandez; Charles Aquino (partly hidden vs. Georby Domingo and Cyril Montel, Jr. is practicing with Ivan II Chess Computer with Chris Domingo watching.
                                                     (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

 Menandro Manuel, left, is watching the game between Jose Omega, right, and Jimmy Valenzuela.
                                                                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Mike Miguel, Jr., left, vs. Lin de Guzman with Mario Ramos, right, and Dannt Dandoy analyzing the game in their minds.                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Jess Toldoya, right, is up against Jose Omega, who donated $100.00 for the champion, which eventually won by Toldoya himself.                                                      (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Gonzalo Escapatoria, standing at the back, became an spectator instead of contestant because of  job schedule conflict. Mariano Agustin, Jr., right, and Jess Toldaya, right, are analyzing a game with Menandro Manuel and Jimmy Valenzuela.                                                      (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

From right to left, Menandro Manuel, Danny Dandoy, Karen Miranda Hernandez, Michael Velarde, Charles Aquino and Jess Toldoya.                                                   (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Cyril Montel, Jr., left, versus Danny Dandoy. Cyril and Roberto struggled in this event ending tied at 6th-7th place while Dandoy finished with his best-ever finish in a tournament in Palau -- 1st runner-up and $75.00 cash prize + a trophy from the sponsoring couple Lin de Guzman and Jojie Casinas.
                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

A group  photo before the start of their games. From left (standing at the back) Danny Dandoy, Mario Ramos, Mike Miguel, Jr., sponsor Lin de Guzman and Bong Alipoon. Sitting in same order --eventual junior champ Charles Aquino and Cyril Montel, Jr.                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE YOUNG AND THE RECKLESS. Typical of youngsters, their games are finished in just a few minutes despite the longer time control. 8-year-old Georby Domingo lost in a few moves to Karen Gennibeth Hernandez in this early round encounter.                         (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON THEIR HEADS.
      It's raining heavy outside while they are playing so Cyril Montel, Jr., right, resumes his match with Nilo de Jesus inside the Tri-M General Merchandise and Food Retail owned and operated by the sponsoring couple Lin de Guzman and Jojie Casinas.Nilo's friend is watching on the sideline.    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Mario Ramos, left, is ready to execute a move against Danny Dandoy while venue host and trophies sponsor Lin de Guzman poses for a souvenir photo. Both protagonists won cash and trophies --their first!
                                                           (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE BATTLE OF TWO FORMER CHAMPIONS
    Roberto Hernandez, the defending champion (2003 Senior and Junior Chess Tournament) is up against former champion Menandro 'Boy' Manuel, the 2003 Open Champion.    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE DRUNKEN MASTER.
     Jimmy Valenzuela, left, is often called the DM of Palau (Drunken Master) because he plays better blitz chess games when he has consumed at least 3 cans of beer. He confided to Roberto that during his early days of learning chess, nobody likes to play with him if there is no bet in every game. Trophies sponsor and venue host Lin de Guzman looks on.                                    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

A group photo of 5 players and an observer. From left (back row) Jimmy Valenzuela, Lin de Guzman, Nilo de Jesus, who donated 2 long table for the event, Mario Ramos, the observer, and (squatting) Rolando Funa, who participated in the 2003 Senior and Junior Chess Tournament but skip this one.
                                                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Youngest contestant at 8, Georby Domingo is up against eventual champion Charles Aquino while Michael Velarde lost his game against Karen Gennibeth Hernandez.       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

SPORTING GESTURE.
    Mike Miguel, Jr., left, shakes hands with Jose Omega before the start of their game. Omega donated $100.00 for the champion (Jess Toldoya). The registration fee was increased to $15.00 so that the 2nd - 5th finishers can have some cash prizes, too.                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Michael Velarde, left, finished 2nd runner-up in this event to eventual champion Charles Aquino and Karen Gennibeth M. Hernandez. He's playing against Christopher Domingo here.
                                                       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

Jimmy Valenzuela pondering his next move against Menandro Manuel.    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

The cropped photo no. 14 without Rolando Funa this time.        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

(320) 2 PLAYERS RUNNING FOR OFFICE

JUNIOR PLAYERS AT PRACTICE
(From left, 16-year-old Michael Velarde, defending champion Charles Aquino (partly hidden), Chris Domingo practicing with Ivan II Chess Computer with an observer, 9-year-old Georby, Chris' younger brother, and 18-year-old lone female contestant Karen Hernandez.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

2 PLAYERS

RUNNING FOR OFFICE

ONLY 4 games were completed in the 4th round of the 2004 Non-master Chess tournament held on Sunday, Feb. 01, at Paul Brothers Tri-M General Merchandise and Food Retail in Malakal.

The 5th game between Jess Toldoya and Jose Omega, who has to work at 5pm, was adjourned. Their game's position was recorded and Toldoya wrote his sealed move to be opened next Sunday for the resumption of their game.

This is the first adjourned game of the tournament. Omega has a previous adjourned game against Ivan II Chess Computer on October 17, 2003.

Toldoya is running for one of the 15 Board of Director seats in the February 08 election of The Filipino Community in Palau under the United Regional Party while Roberto Hernandez is running for auditor.

Cyril Montel, Jr. defeated Ivan II Chess Computer in 74 moves of Caro-Khan Defence. He also defeated Jimmy Valenzuela as per Valenzuela's request that if he didn't make it at 5:30 pm, he will lose by default to his scheduled opponent.

It is up to Montel, Jr. to give him a chance to replay it someday. Montel, Jr. will be helping the Commission on Election this Sunday and will be absent for the 5th round.

In other completed game, Menandro Manuel is still undefeated after scoring another win over Bong Alipoon.

Latecomer Amante Caballero played his first game against Hernandez in the latter's residence on January 29 and earned half point by drawing the game in just 25 moves of Sicilian Defence.

Caballero offered a draw on the 21st move with the position unclear. Hernandez opted to continue but gained no advantage and accepted the draw after falling to a slightly inferior position.

In the kid's division, defending champion Charles Aquino edged out 16-year-old Michael Velarde (2-1) to keep the lead while 18-year-old Karen Hernandez won over Chris Domingo in similar fashion. She lost the first game but won the last 2 to stay at 2nd spot with 2.5 points.

Their last game was a very exciting one that even the small crowd watching the game couldn't hold on to themselves when they saw a mate in 3 moves that should have ended the game.

This week's featured classic game is between Paul Morphy and Count Isouard in Paris, 1858.

While waiting for Anderssen to arrive from Breslau, Morphy the delights of Paris -- including the opera house. Druing the marriage of Figaro he entertained his hosts with this elegant brilliancy, mating on the 17th move with his last 2 pieces!

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 Not yet in the Philidor Defence! After a few forced moves, white gets a big jump in development. 4. dxc5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6 seems natural, but Qe7 was necessary, as this game shows.

7. Qb3 Qe7 8. Nc3 development, not material! ... c6 9. Bg5 b5 Far too optimistic, given the congestion of the black pieces. 10. Nxb5 cxb5 11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. 0-0-0 Rd8 13. Rxd7 removing another defender. ... Rxd7 14. Rd1 Qe6 Air at last. But now Morphy shows how simple a mate can be. 15. Bxd7 Nxd7 16. Qb8+ Nxb8 17. Rb8 mate.

Source:

Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Pages 13 & 15

February 6-13, 2004

(49) CHESSMATE 23 TOUCH MOVES SPARKS PROTEST

CLOSE RUNNER-UP CONTENDERS
16-year-old Michael Velarde, left, and Chris Domingo are in a tight fight for 3rd and 4th runner-up finish going into the last 2 weeks of competition with a mere half point separating them.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THE 11TH and 12th round of the 2004 Non-Master Chess tournament sparked 2 touch move controversies.

The crucial 11th round match-up between 2 title contenders Menandro Manuel and Cyril Montel, Jr. is now under protest due to Manuel's touch move violation in the middle game.

Manuel accidentally touched his rook and asked the arbiter if he had to move it. The arbiter said that according to tournament rules, touching a piece accidentally or intentionally requires the player to move it.

Montel, Jr. uttered "Go ahead, go ahead." Presuming Montel, Jr.'s remark as approval, Manuel then moved another piece.

In this situation the game is subject to protest especially if the player who breaks the rule won.

A similar case happened when Jimmy Valenzuela moved a piece other than what he touched in a game against Roberto Hernandez in the 10th round of the Senior and Junior Open chess tourney on Nov. 23, 2003.

Hernandez protested when he was about to lose and they agreed to play another game.

Montel, Jr. filed a verbal protest against Manuel, asserting that touching a piece with the tips of four fingers is intentional not accidental. He added that Manuel though for 15 minutes after realizing his mistake prior to calling for an arbiter.

He was dismayed by the former champion's action in the very crucial match. A win by Montel, Jr. will put him in the lead while Manuel needs to win his match against Jess Toldoya to have a chance for his 2nd title.

The other controversy took place late in the afternoon between Toldoya and Montel, Jr. where the former had a king, 2 rooks and 2 pawns while Montel, Jr. had a king, a rook, a bishop and 2 pawns.

On his last move, Montel, Jr. put his rook to e6 square and released it, overlooking his unprotected bishop.

He took the rook again and started to move it to another square when Toldoya protested a touch move violation.

Montel argued that he had not pressed his time clock yet so he can still change his move.

That holds only in a blitz game, but in a tournament with long time control, once a player moves a piece to a square and releases it, it cannot be moved again elsewhere.

Jose Omega recorded their game's position for the arbiter -- who had left the tournament site at 5 pm to play music with Kostang Remeliik in a dinner cruise -- to make a decision.

Mario Ramos called the chairman that he will be absent on March 21 so his default loss to Toldoya was replayed which the latter won. Toldoya also won another default over Nilo de Jesus and is now the solo leader.

OTHER RESULTS WERE ALL DEFAULTS: Valenzuela d. Mariano Agustin, Jr., who is working on Saturday and Sunday for absentee voting assignment; Ramos d. Omega; Danny Dandoy d. Bong Alipoon; Mike Miguel, Jr. d. Amante Caballero and Lin de Guzman d. Agustin, Jr.

Mario Ramos defeated Ivan II Chess Computer in 60 moves of a Four Knights Defence on a special game on Monday, March 29 through a telephone match to stay in contention for 3rd to 5th place.

In the kid's division, Karen Hernandez scored 3 victories to tie the defending champion Charles Aquino at 1st place. She defeated Chris Domingo (2-0) in their best of 3 series, won over Jayrome Soriano and Ricky Camacho by default for a win-loss-draw record of 10-1-1.

Michael Velarde defeated Ivan II Chess Computer in 31 moves of a Four Knights Defence with the black pieces.

OTHER RESULTS: Aquino d. Soriano; Velarde d. Georby Domingo by default and Ivan II and G. Domingo drew by default.


Solution to last week's puzzle: 1. c8=B!!! (Promote the pawn to a bishop to avoid stalemate). There is already a white-colored bishop on the board and you can have as many as 10 bishops if you can promote the 8 pawns) ... Kb8 2. Nc6 mate.

Source:
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
August 2-9, 2004

(39) JR WINS 2 GAMES (TBN-Jan. 23-30, 2004)

VENUE HOST AND SPONSORS
     Jojie Casinas, right, Manager of Paul Brothers Tri-M Gen. Merchandise and Food Retail, the venue host of the 2004 Non-Master Chess Tournament, co-host Lin de Guzman, left, and Nilo de Jesus, the donor of cash prize for the top 3 finishers in the kids' division.                                                    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


             JR WINS 2 GAMES
MARIANO Agustin, Jr. or "JR" as he is commonly known, skipped the 2003 Senior and Junior Open due to schedule conflict but he's now back at the 2004 Non-Master Chess Tourney being held last Sunday, Jan. 18 at Paul Brothers Tri-M General Merchandise and Food Retail.

In his very first game after a 5-month absence, JR defeated 2nd seed Roberto Hernandez in 45 moves of Bird's Opening and beat 8th seed Mike Miguel, Jr. of another Bird's Opening.

Hernandez gobbled up 2 pawns on the 22nd move but missed the rook capture of JR on the 32nd move and allowed JR's pieces on the offensive position.

JR is now tied for the lead with Menandro Manuel, who also scored two wins over Jose Omega in 22 moves of a Sicilian Defence (Najdorf Variation) and Jimmy Valenzuela. 

Cyril Montel, Jr. is also undefeated after scoring a 30-move French Defence game over Nilo de Jesus, the sponsor of 2 long tables and cash prize for the top 3 finishers in the kid's division.

He bounced back from defeat and scored his first win over co-host Lin de Guzman, who dealt Valenzuela his 3rd defeat in a day.

OTHER RESULTS OF 2ND ROUND:
      Jess Toldoya d. Valenzuela and Danny Dandoy lost to top seed Ivan II Chess Computer.

     In the kid's division, defending champion Charles Aquino bested Chris Domingo (2-0) in a best-of-three series and 16-year-old Michael Velarde defeated 9-year-old Georby Domingo (2-0). Other participants didn't make it in the second round.

THIRD ROUND PAIRINGS (First-mentioned name to play white):
Agustin, Jr. vs. Omega; Toldoya vs. Bong Alipoon; Omega vs. Toldoya; Alipoon vs. Mario Ramos; Hernandez vs. Miguel, Jr.; Ramos vs. De Jesus; Montel, Jr. vs. Ivan II and Dandoy vs. de Guzman.