(700) TOP 100 CHESS PLAYERS IN THE WORLD (Feb. 2014) (TBN-Feb. 17, 2014)

SAY CHESS INSTEAD OF CHEESE
     

                   When Toti Abundo, left, and Geoffrey Borg, 3^rd from left, visited Palau, they have talks with the high ranking officials and Ministry Of Education about chess in schools program of FIDE. During the pictorial, everybody is urges to say “Chess” instead of cheese. Others in the photo are (from right) Eric Ksau Whipps, Roberto Hernandez and the top officials of MOE.       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

         TOP 100 CHESS PLAYERS 
                 IN THE WORLD
                    

In February 2013, Philippines top chess player Wesley So is number 50 in the list of world’s top 100 chess players. A year later, he became no. 18 with 2738 rating!

                Here’s the list of 102 Top Chess Players of the world for the month of Feb. 2014:

Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year  1  Carlsen, Magnus  g  NOR  2872  0  1990  2  Aronian, Levon  g  ARM  2826  11  1982  3  Kramnik, Vladimir  g  RUS  2787  0  1975  4  Topalov, Veselin  g  BUL  2785  0  1975  5  Caruana, Fabiano  g  ITA  2781  11  1992  6  Grischuk, Alexander  g  RUS  2777  0  1983  7  Nakamura, Hikaru  g  USA  2776  11  1987  8  Anand, Viswanathan  g  IND  2773  0  1969  9  Karjakin, Sergey  g  RUS  2766  11  1990  10  Gelfand, Boris  g  ISR  2761  11  1968  11  Svidler, Peter  g  RUS  2758  0  1976  12  Dominguez Perez, Leinier  g  CUB  2757  11  1983  13  Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar  g  AZE  2757  0  1985  14  Adams, Michael  g  ENG  2754  0  1971  15  Giri, Anish  g  NED  2746  11  1994  16  Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime  g  FRA  2745  0  1990  17  Ivanchuk, Vassily  g  UKR  2739  0  1969  18  So, Wesley  g  PHI  2738  17  1993  19  Bacrot, Etienne  g  FRA  2738  0  1983  20  Vitiugov, Nikita  g  RUS  2737  0  1987  21  Wang, Hao  g  CHN  2734  0  1989  22  Eljanov, Pavel  g  UKR  2733  0  1983  23  Nepomniachtchi, Ian  g  RUS  2732  0  1990  24  Leko, Peter  g  HUN  2730  0  1979  25  Jakovenko, Dmitry  g  RUS  2723  1  1983  26  Korobov, Anton  g  UKR  2723  0  1985  27  Morozevich, Alexander  g  RUS  2722  0  1977  28  Ponomariov, Ruslan  g  UKR  2721  0  1983  29  Ding, Liren  g  CHN  2717  0  1992  30  Malakhov, Vladimir  g  RUS  2717  0  1980  31  Wang, Yue  g  CHN  2717  0  1987  32  Wojtaszek, Radoslaw  g  POL  2715  27  1987  33  Tomashevsky, Evgeny  g  RUS  2715  0  1987  34  Radjabov, Teimour  g  AZE  2713  0  1987  35  Harikrishna, P.  g  IND  2712  11  1986  36  Shirov, Alexei  g  LAT  2711  0  1972  37  Moiseenko, Alexander  g  UKR  2710  0  1980  38  Le, Quang Liem  g  VIE  2709  6  1991  39  Andreikin, Dmitry  g  RUS  2709  0  1990  40  Fressinet, Laurent  g  FRA  2709  0  1981  41  Kamsky, Gata  g  USA  2709  0  1974  42  Almasi, Zoltan  g  HUN  2707  2  1976  43  Vallejo Pons, Francisco  g  ESP  2707  0  1982  44  Jobava, Baadur  g  GEO  2706  13  1983  45  Areshchenko, Alexander  g  UKR  2706  0  1986  46  Rublevsky, Sergei  g  RUS  2706  0  1974  47  Kryvoruchko, Yuriy  g  UKR  2704  0  1986  48  Naiditsch, Arkadij  g  GER  2702  11  1985  49  Navara, David  g  CZE  2702  0  1985  50  Bu, Xiangzhi  g  CHN  2699  0  1985  51  Khismatullin, Denis  g  RUS  2698  14  1984  52  Inarkiev, Ernesto  g  RUS  2698  0  1985  53  Kasimdzhanov, Rustam  g  UZB  2698  0  1979  54  Li, Chao b  g  CHN  2697  16  1989  55  Polgar, Judit  g  HUN  2693  0  1976  56  Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter  g  ROU  2691  0  1976  57  Matlakov, Maxim  g  RUS  2690  9  1991  58  Alekseev, Evgeny  g  RUS  2689  17  1985  59  Riazantsev, Alexander  g  RUS  2689  0  1985  60  Short, Nigel D  g  ENG  2686  2  1965  61  McShane, Luke J  g  ENG  2684  0  1984  62  Akopian, Vladimir  g  ARM  2682  0  1971  63  Laznicka, Viktor  g  CZE  2681  0  1988  64  Rodshtein, Maxim  g  ISR  2680  7  1989  65  Berkes, Ferenc  g  HUN  2680  0  1985  66  Granda Zuniga, Julio E  g  PER  2680  0  1967  67  Rapport, Richard  g  HUN  2679  11  1996  68  Van Wely, Loek  g  NED  2679  11  1972  69  Onischuk, Alexander  g  USA  2679  0  1975  70  Volokitin, Andrei  g  UKR  2679  0  1986  71  Movsesian, Sergei  g  ARM  2677  0  1978  72  Bruzon Batista, Lazaro  g  CUB  2676  0  1982  73  Sasikiran, Krishnan  g  IND  2676  0  1981  74  Dreev, Aleksey  g  RUS  2673  0  1969  75  Cheparinov, Ivan  g  BUL  2672  0  1986  76  Istratescu, Andrei  g  FRA  2671  7  1975  77  Sargissian, Gabriel  g  ARM  2671  0  1983  78  Grachev, Boris  g  RUS  2669  14  1986  79  Amin, Bassem  g  EGY  2665  0  1988  80  Yu, Yangyi  g  CHN  2664  13  1994  81  Socko, Bartosz  g  POL  2663  11  1978  82  Sutovsky, Emil  g  ISR  2663  0  1977  83  Saric, Ivan  g  CRO  2661  13  1990  84  Zhigalko, Sergei  g  BLR  2661  13  1989  85  Edouard, Romain  g  FRA  2661  2  1990  86  Bologan, Viktor  g  MDA  2661  0  1971  87  Mamedov, Rauf  g  AZE  2659  0  1988  88  Shimanov, Aleksandr  g  RUS  2658  18  1992  89  Ni, Hua  g  CHN  2658  0  1983  90  Sjugirov, Sanan  g  RUS  2657  9  1993  91  Georgiev, Kiril  g  BUL  2657  7  1965  92  Erdos, Viktor  g  HUN  2656  0  1987  93  Lenic, Luka  g  SLO  2656  0  1988  94  Lysyj, Igor  g  RUS  2655  9  1987  95  Mchedlishvili, Mikheil  g  GEO  2655  9  1979  96  Gharamian, Tigran  g  FRA  2655  2  1984  97  Efimenko, Zahar  g  UKR  2655  0  1985  98  Balogh, Csaba  g  HUN  2654  7  1987  99  Motylev, Alexander  g  RUS  2654  0  1979  100  Popov, Ivan  g  RUS  2653  14  1990  101  Romanov, Evgeny  g  RUS  2653  3  1988  102  Zvjaginsev, Vadim  g  RUS  2653  0  1976

                The Micronesian Open 2014 will now be for local players only with the 10-player round-robin event among the members of Palau Chess team to Norway World Chess Olympiad. Another tournament for 1500 and below will coincide with the event but will be finished till May 2014.

                Mr. Brian Jones will be the supervising arbiter, Eric Ksau Whipps will be the deputy arbiter while Roberto Hernandez will be the arbiter in the 1500 and below category.

                Mr. Jones and his wife Margaret are booked at Palau Royal Resort from Feb. 18-25 and the round-robin of 10 players will be held during their stay.

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qxg8+!! Kxg8 2. Rh8+!! Kxh8 3. Bf7mate.

This week’s puzzle (White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 9-10
             Volume 23
             Issue 14
             February 17, 2014  

(699) INVITATION FOR 2014 WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD IN NORWAY (TBN-March 10, 2014)

MOC 2014 PARTICIPANTS WITH A VIEW
     The  participants of the just concluded 2014 Micronesian Open pose with a nice background view. From left, 3rd place Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., 4th Roberto Hernandez, 9th Rafael Paloma, 8th Jeffrey Balbalosa, 10th Angie Parrado, 2nd Tito Cabunagan, Champion Brian Jones, Deputy Arbiter Eric Ksau Whipps, 6th Dennis Gonzales, 5th Jose Celiz. 7th CM Bernardo Garcia is the only one missing in the photo by Eric.
                                     (Photo by Eric Ksau Whipps) 


      INVITATION FOR 2014 WORLD
     CHESS OLYMPIAD IN NORWAY
 

THE 2014 Tromso, Norway World Chess Olympiad Organizers has issued an invitation to all FIDE member federations to participate in its hosted Olympiad to be held from Aug. 01-14.

                A travel fund of 600,000 euros will be made available to federations who want to participate in the Olympiad. It’s 60% of the airfare to be shouldered by the organizers defending on the distance of their country to Tromso.

                Number one in the list is New Zealand, who can get more than $1,200.00 for each player who will participate there. Palau is listed as no. 11 and each player can get $932.00 as travel subsidy. Palau-Manila is more than $500.00 and Manila-Tromso is $1,600.00 so each member of Palau team must have at least more than a thousand dollars to be able to make it to the team.

                For those who can’t produce that amount, especially in the Men/Open team, Mohammad Manik Hossain is capable to replace him.

                The Palau Open 2014 5-round Swiss system tournament will kick off on Sunday, March 09, at Bethlehem Park at 2pm with 38 players participating.

 The following are the matches of Round 1 with the top seed playing the no. 20 seed: (First name to play white)  (1) Montel Jr., Cyril Tomas vs. (20) Leuterio, Allan; (21) Whipps, Joy Flores vs. (2) Celiz, Jose; (3) Hernandez, Roberto vs. Perdon, Ohjea Mae Figueroa; (23) Fabiona, John Joseph vs. (4) Cabunagan, Tito; (5) CM Garcia, Bernardo vs. (24) Parco, Roxanne; (25) Anson, Jennifer vs. (6) Cabuso, Rustum; (7) Pastrana, Eugenio vs. (26) Balute, Joey Jaime; (27) Kitalong, Christopher vs. (8) Balbalosa, Jeffrey; (9) Gonzales, Dennis vs. (28) Labro, Jose; (29) Magbanua, Peter Erick vs. (10) Paloma, Rafael; (11) Parrado, Angelica vs. (30) Parinas, Melvin Molana; (31) Patris, Charley vs. (12) Mission, Baby Edna; (13) Labarda, Eugene vs. (32) Rengiil, Tuloy; (33) Rodriguez, Senase Jose vs. (14) Paloma, Gladys Anne; (15) Mahor Jr, Manuel vs. (34) Sareno, Algen Huinda; (35) Sisior, Nelson vs. (16) Ulap, Crisarjo Mel John Banaga; (17) Reyes, Jon Manuel vs. (36) Undecimo, Arnold Lansang; (37) Villar, Richard Facturanan vs. (18) Whipps, Eric Ksau Surangel; (19) Ulap, Jo-Arl Cris Banaga vs. (38) Wong, David Yuen

Eugene Labarda will be having a vacation within the time period of this event. Alfredo Pacenos, Jr. can take his place as they have almost the same rating.

Some notable players that were left out of the list but maybe available are Mohammad Manik Hossain -1498 rating  (12nn-3pm), Remrel Dizon (1559), Elpidio Manaligod (1456), Gonzalo Escapatoria (1599), Nilo de Jesus (1624), Glen Navarosa (1294) and Morton Sawaichi, who showed willingness to participate this time because he’s got time now.

Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qc8+!! Rxc8 2. Rxc8+ Ke7 3. Nc6 mate.

This week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             Pages 9-10

             Volume 23

             Issue 20

             March 10, 2014 

(698) BRIAN JONES IS 2014 M. O. C. CHAMP; COMPLETES MISSION (TBN-March 03, 2014)

SEE YOU AGAIN IN TROMSO, MR. JONES
      A souvenir photo was taken before the start of his simultaneous exhibition game. From left, Lilibeth Cabunagan, Tito Cabunagan, Brian Jones, Margaret Jones and Roberto Hernandez at Island Paradise Resort Club. The generous manager of IPRC offered the place for free as venue of Micronesian Open 2014. He also provides drinks to the players and guests. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and XIE XIE.
                                     (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


   BRIAN JONES IS M. O. C. 2014
   CHAMP; COMPLETES MISSION

OCEANIA Zone Confederation President Brian Jones of Australia scored 8.5 points in 9 games to dominate the Micronesian Open Chess tournament held at The Taj (Opening Day), Surangel Construction Office and at the new Island Paradise Resort Club in Medalai.

Mr. Jones, who is also a FIDE Master (FM) and an International Organizer (IO), arrived in Palau on Feb. 18 with his wife Margaret and was booked by Roberto Hernandez at Palau Royal Resort 5 weeks before their arrival. 

They left on Feb. 26 at 3:00 am for Guam after holding a simultaneous exhibition matches against kids, adults and mostly beginners.

Among them are former Senator Surangel Whipps, Sr., Valerie Remengesau Surangel, her 2 daughters Ultei Angelei and Moded Samantha, WNM Angelica Parrado, Peter Erick Magbanua, Gladys Anne Paloma, Ksau Anthony Flores Whipps, Kyarii Sisior, Destiny Sisior, Angelil Sisior, Kate Celiz, Beth Cabunagan, Ohjea Mae Figueroa Perdon, Eric Ksau Whipps, Joy Flores Whipps, Kayah Flores Whipps, Baby Edna Mission and some more beginners who experienced the joy and excitement of playing a master in person.

Prior to the simul, Roberto teaches Ultei how to form a fortress when playing the black pieces using the Pirc or Modern Defence. It works! Ultei lasted the longest among more than 20 opponents of Mr. Jones. Beth Cabunagan's king traveled from e8 to c2 before being mated on that square!

Ksau can't believe that he was mated by a knight on h6. One Palauan guy was mated in just 4 moves. It was a magical moment for Palau chess.

Tito Cabunagan scored 7.5 points to finish 2nd while Palau top player Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. has 6 and the only player that drew with Mr. Jones. 

Roberto and Jose Celiz were tied at 4th with 5.5 points each followed by Dennis Gonzales, CM Bernardo Garcia, Jeffrey Balbalosa, Rafael Paloma and Parrado.

If that tournament is the World Chess Olympiad, Tito and Cyril would have been FIDE Master while Roberto and Jose would have earned Candidate Master title like what Bernard got in Istanbul, Turkey 2012 World Chess Olympiad.

A 50% performance rating in their first 7 or 8 games will automatically earn a player his Candidate Master title while if a player scores 6 points in 9 games, he will become a FIDE Master.

This is what Roberto is eyeing in the next WCO in Tromso, Norway in Aug. 01-14, 2014. He is half-retired now, working only 4 hours a day and he has time to prepare and practice 5 hours a day and play as reserve or Board 4 in the Men/Open Palau team instead of team captain, where he can't play.

The MOC is an event as preparation for Palau Chess Team to Norway that's compose of Minister Baklai Temengil as Head of Delegation, Eric Whipps as Delegate, NM Hernandez as team captain, Tito at Board 1, Cyril at 2, CM Bernard at 3, Jeffrey Balbalosa at 4 and Ksau as reserve.

The women's team will have Jamie Kenmure at team captain, Angie at Board 1, Baby Edna Mission at 2, Gladys at 3, Joy at 4 and Destiny Sisior as reserve.

Roberto will suggest that Jamie be the men/open team captain, Ksau as women team captain, and Roberto as reserve or Board 4 to get his chance for a FIDE Master title or at least a CM title. That is a solid men/open team for Palau. 

In 2012 WCO, they don't have reserve so there is no strategy available in changing the board numbers all the way to the 11th and final round.

The awarding of medals and certificate was held at The Taj. Roberto was not able to attend because he has to work from 7-11pm.

The Palau Open 2014 will be held every Sunday at Bethlehem Park. The 5-round Swiss system event had drawn 38 players including the top 10 players of Palau.

In the first round, the top seed (Cyril), will play against the player in the middle of the list (no. 19). The 2nd seed (Jose) will play against no. 20, etc.

The winner in the first round will play against the winner, loser vs. loser, etc. 

     

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
           Tia Belau Newspaper
           Pages 9-10
           Volume 23
           Issue 18
           March 03, 2014       
 

  


  

(697) 2014 MICRONESIAN OPEN STARTS AT THE TAJ (TBN-Feb. 24, 2014)

CEREMONIAL FIRST MOVES
    

Robert Scaria, right, of The Taj, did the ceremonial first move of the 2014 Micronesian Open Chess Tournament held at the The Taj on Feb. 19 with Ultei Whipps. The brainchild of the event, Mr. Brian Jones, middle, is watching the first move –e4 by Ultei and answered by d6 (Pirc Defence), the favorite defence of Roberto Hernandez, left, emcee of the event.

                                               (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)




          2014 MICRONESIAN OPEN
             STARTS AT THE TAJ 
 

Oceania Chess Confederation President Brian Jones of Australia arrived in Palau with his wife Margaret on Feb. 18, 2014 and was booked by Roberto Hernandez at Palau Royal Resort for 7 nights. The Micronesian Open Chess Tournament will be held supposed to be a Conference Room of PRR but the room is occupied on that date by JAL Employees Satisfaction Survey.

                During the meeting of top 6 officials of Palau Chess Federation (President Eric Ksau Whips, Vice President Tito Cabunagan, Treasurer Dennis Gonzales, General Secretary Hernandez, Board Members Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. and CM Bernard Garcia), their first priority is the venue.

                A lot of calls have been made – Penthouse Hotel, Palau Pacific Resort, Palasia Hotel, SDA Computer Room, and finally The Taj. Its manager/owner Robert Scaria invited the PCF officials to check the place and they agree to hold the Opening Ceremony there on Feb. 19 at 6pm.

                Mr. Jones and Margaret went there at 5pm using Roberto’s car and set the place with others who bring in chess equipments. The 10 top-rated players of Palau will have a round-robin with Mr. Jones as top seed followed by Montel, Jr., Jose Celiz, Roberto, Tito, Bernard, Jeff Balbalosa, WNM Angelica Parrado, Dennis and Rafael Paloma.

                The kids will be having their own version of round-robin event as well as the women’s. The top 10 will be finished on Feb. 25 while the other 2 category will be finished till May, 2014.

                At 6:30, the place is full of chess players, their parents, friends and other chess aficionados witnessing the biggest gathering of active chess players in Palau.

                A short opening prayer was done by Roberto, who introduced Mr. Jones to the crowd. After his very inspirational speech, it’s time for Eric to say something before the Ceremonial First Moves.

                Kyarii Sisior is not present so Ultei Angelei Surangel and Robert Scaria do the honor of the Ceremonial First moves. After that, Roberto has to say goodbye to all as he is working at 7pm at PRR.

                His first game was played at 2pm at Surangel Construction office in Malakal, where he lost to Mr. Jones, who is a FIDE Master with a top seed rating of 2037. He won in more than 50 moves of Pirc Defence where he hang on to his one-pawn advantage till the end.

                Tito won over Dennis, Jose over Angie, Jeff whipped Paloma and 2^nd seed Montel, Jr. subdued Garcia in the longest game of the night.

                On Thursday, Feb. 20, Jeff scored his 2^nd straight by trouncing Parrado. Tito clobbered Jose while Hernandez didn’t play because he’s working again at 7pm.

                On Friday at 10:30 am, Cyril and Roberto played their game at Surangel Construction office and the result is a draw in 59 moves. Cyril missed a king maneuver move that could have won him the game. He’s got 12 seconds left in his clock when he captured the last pawn of Roberto. If he didn’t capture it, he would have lost by time forfeit.

                The 6pm games were played at the new Island Paradise Resort Club in Medalaii. Roberto capitalized on Angie’s blunder and mated her on the 14^th move. Jeff lost a winning game against Tito while Cyril and Brian Jones agreed to a draw.

                Roberto played his 3^rd game of the day and outwitted Garcia in 45 moves of English Opening. The see-saw match of Dennis and Jose is still going on at 9:45 pm, where Roberto left the place to attend the Prayer Meeting at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4^th Watch) in Iyebukel.

                Jose blundered away a piece and lost instead as his king is exposed to attack.

                The games on Saturday and Sunday will still be played at Island Paradise Resort Club, the Monday games will be played at Surangel Construction office and the final day (Tuesday) will be held at IPRC including the simul by Mr. Jones. The Taj again for the closing ceremony and awarding of prizes.

                Solution to last week’s puzzle: 1. Qg6+!! hxg6 2. hxg6+ Kh8 3. Nf7 mate.

                This week’s puzzle: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez

            Tia Belau Newspaper

            Pages 9-10

            Volume 23

            Issue 16

            February 24, 2014