Final rankings of Filipino campaigners in Aeroflot 2009

It's a long delayed post. Anyway, better late than never.

Here are the FINAL rankings of the 4-man Filipino contingent in the recently concluded Aeroflot Open 2009 in Moscow, Russia.

GM Wesley So (Tournament A1)

IM Richard Bitoon (Tournament A2)

Haridas Pascua (Tournament B)

Jan Emmanuel Garcia (Tournament B)

Good job overall!

So bags top junior honor in Aeroflot

MANILA Philippines - Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So continued to reach new heights on the international chess stage when he emerged as the top junior player at the end of the Aeroflot Chess Festival 2009 at the Hotel Gamma-Delta in Moscow.

So, the country's highest-rated player with an ELO of 2627, drew his ninth and final-round match against GM Zaven Andriasian of Armenia in 36 moves of the Sicilian to finish in a tie for 17th to 36th places with five points on three wins, four draws and two losses.

More importantly, the 15-year-old Filipino champion clinched the award as the top junior player.

So, who was voted as the "Chess Player of the Year" by the Philippine Sportswriters Associaiton (PSA), edged fellow world junior campaigners GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan, GM Sanan Sjugirov of Russia and IM Ray Robson of the United States.

GM Etienne Bacrot of France trounced erstwhile solo leader GM Arman Pashikian of Armenia and GM Alexander Moiseenko of Ukraine subdued GM Zhou Weiqi of Choan to share first place with 6.5 points.Bacrot, however, clinched the top spot by virtue of higher tiebreak score.

Seven players, led by GM Zhou Jianchao of China and GM Borki Predojevic of Bosnia, share third to ninth places with six points.

With them were GM Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus, GM Igor Kurnosov of Russia, GM Vladimir Potkin of Russia, GM Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia and Pashikian.

Nine other players share 20th to 18th places, finishing half a point ahead of So's group at 5.5 points.

Among the notable players who finished with the same score as So are last year's champion GM Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, third ssed GM Arkadj Naiditsch of Germany, GM Alexey Dreev of Russia, Ilia Smirin of Israel, Jaan Ehlvest of the United States and Boris Grachev of Russia.

So even finished ahead of top seed GM Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, GM Alexander Onishcuk of the United States, GM Evgeny Bareev of Russia, GM Loek van Wely of the Netherlands, GM Rafael Vaganian of Armeia, GM Varuzhan Akobian of the United States, GM Artashes Minasian of Armenia, GM Li Chao of China, GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia and GM Ehsan Ghaemmaghami of Iran. In Divison A-2, IM Richard Bitoon settled for a draw with GM Alexander Potapov (ELO 2456) of Russia to finish in a share of 22nd to 39th places with five points.

The pride of Medellin, Cebu, finished with four wins, two draws and three losses for five points, two full points behind eventual champions IM Alexandre Danin of Russia and GM Melikset Khachiyan of the United States.

In Division B, Haridas Pascua outclassed WGM Baira Kovanova of Russia to finish in a tie for sixth to 15th places with six points.Pascua, who is set to represent the country in the world junior chess championship in Argentina later this year, wound up with four wins, four draws and only one loss.

Another Filipino campaigner, Jan Emmanuel Garcia, finished in a share off 21st to 38h places with five points on two wins, six draws and one loss.Garcia, a member of the famed V.Luna Chess Club, drew with Danila Belousov of Russia in the final round.

Source: GMANews.TV

Barangay Wesley

Statistics says the Philippines has a total of 41,943 barangays.

Now, let’s update the figure. Let’s add one.

So what’s the new barangay?

It’s Barangay Wesley – and this one’s for the books!

It is the only barangay in the Philippines whose Chairman was unanimously adored by its constituents.

It is the only barangay in the Philippines where unity and camaraderie are truly shown in words and in deed – and felt – by its citizens.

Truly amazing – a social phenomenon that a social scientist should look into.

And did you know that this barangay is led by the youngest Chairman in the whole Philippines?

Please meet 15-year old Chairman GM Wesley So.

This young leader has the natural charisma to unite people. Not only that – in fact, he can move them.

In case you still don’t know, Barangay Wesley was formally conceived at chessgames.com forum. Visit the place and feel the overwhelming enchanting aura.

Go there and be a Barangay Wesley citizen.

Haridas Pascua finishes strong in Aeroflot 2009

Haridas Pascua made an emphatic finish by defeating his beautiful opponent in the ninth and final round, WGM Baira Kovanova of Russia, to post a very decent 6.0-point output which put him at 15th place overall in the 80-man strong Tournament B.

His 6.0 points came from 4 wins (3 with black), 1 loss, and 4 draws (+4 -1 = 4).

He is only a point off the tournament champ, Russian Nikolay Ogloblin who posted 7.0 points.

He is tied with nine other 6.0 pointers at 6th to 15th place.

His performance round by round:
Round 1: Win
Round 2: Draw
Round 3: Draw
Round 4: Loss
Round 5: Win
Round 6: Draw
Round 7: Win
Round 8: Draw
Round 9: Win

I don’t know if he finally earned a FIDE title from this tournament.

Congratulations, Haridas!

A tip for chess training

Reigning woman world chess champ, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, offers a healthy tip for anybody who wants to improve in chess.

The tip? "Mens sana in corpore sano" (a healthy mind in a healthy body).

Did you know that she recently participated in the Sobefit 5K race in Miami Beach?

And wow! She ran the distance in 22 minutes and 42 seconds, a good result, shy of her record which is a little over 21 minutes.

To be in top form to play chess, Alexandra runs 5K every morning and recommends to all chess players who want to improve a good balance between chess training and physical training.

Before winning the women's world championship in Nalchik last fall, Alexandra was said to be in top physical form, which allowed her to give it her best and not lose a single game during the three-week marathon chess tourney.

Jog and chess. That's the way to do it.

GM Wesley So

GM Wesley So has never played yet against a higher-rated opponent after seven rounds of play in Aeroflot Open 2009.

Going into Round 8, he has scored 4.0 points from 3 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws (+3 -2 =2).

Beating his Ukrainian opponent in Round 8, GM Yuriy Ajrapetjan might be the key in having a higher-rated opponent in the final round.

May he sweep the remaining two rounds.

Good luck, Wesley! Amaze us again, please.

IM Richard Bitoon

IM Bitoon has piled up only 3.5 points after seven rounds in Aeroflot Open 2009.

I don't know if he still has the chance to earn a GM norm.

His 3.5 points came from a record of 3 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw (+3 -3 =1).

May he sweep the remaining two rounds and end his campaign with a decent finish.

We wish him good luck.

Haridas Pascua

Haridas Pascua (Tournament B) is so far the best Filipino campaigner in Aeroflot Open 2009 in terms of score with 5.0 points after eight rounds.

His decent output came from 3 wins, 1 loss and 4 draws (+3 -1 =4).

His opponent in the final round will be WGM Baira Kovanova (2386) of Russia, the strongest player (in terms of opponents' ratings) he will face in the tournament.

May he not be enchanted by the Russian beauty in the final round

WGM Baira Kovanova, the opponent of Haridas in the final round. Wheww! I really love chess!

Jan Emmanuel Garcia

Jan Emmanuel Garcia (Tournament B) has posted 4.5 points after Round 8 in the ongoing Aeroflot Open 2009 in Moscow Russia.

His output came from 2 wins, 1 loss and 5 draws (+2 -1 =5).

May he conquer his opponent in Round 9, Russian Danila Belousov (2354) to end his campaign on a high note.

We wish him good luck. Did he save the best for last? We will see.

Chess is cool

Who wouldn’t fall in love with GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, the reigning women’s world chess champion?

Beauty and brain rolled into one.

Knowing that she has a heart to popularize chess among young people makes her more loveable.

Did you know that she has a strategy on how to transform chess into a popular sport especially among the youth?

Read this:

Kosteniuk is not averse to striking a glamorous pose for the cameras, sometimes while dressed in little more than a bikini. Her purpose, she says, is to illustrate her mantra, “Beauty and brains can go together.”

Indeed, she considers her glamour and youth – she is now 24 – powerful tools in her mission to enthuse more young people about the game and persuade them to believe that “chess is cool.”

“Chess has a very wrong image. People think it’s boring, and only fat men in suits play it, so I break that signal and show them chess is cool,” she says.

“You can easily be beautiful and play chess well, or be a professor, or any kind of high achiever. The only thing chess doesn’t have is a lot of attention from the media and from sponsors, so I think I can help in this way. If you tell people there are some nice models playing chess, somehow the modern world finds it more interesting.”

Source: csmonitor

Quezon City is top winner in NCR Palaro elims

MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City, sparked by its dominating performance in athletics and swimming, took home the overall titles in the elementary and secondary divisions of the recently concluded 2009 National Capital Region (NCR) Palaro Regional eliminations at the Rizal High School grounds in Pasig City.

Aside from the two medal rich events, QC also won the elementary girls and boys badminton and football titles, and posted decent finishes in taekwondo, gymnastics and chess to become the runaway winner in the elementary division.

Source: gmanews

Chess wiz So to get PSA award for a remarkable year

Chess wiz So to get PSA award for a remarkable year

MANILA, Philippines – What’s in a year for teen Grandmaster Wesley So?

That’s competing in 12 tournaments spread over 10 cities and seven countries in a span of 12 months where the 15-year old chess wizard recorded four first place finishes and a consistent spot in the Top 10.

So’s numerous achievements last year earned for him as the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s unanimous choice for the top awardee in chess when the country’s oldest media group honors the top sports personalities of 2008.

The San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night will be held at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion Hotel on Feb. 20 where reigning pound-for-pound king and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will be enshrined to the PSA Hall of Fame for earning his fifth Athlete of the Year award.

Some of So’s big triumphs in 2008 are the Dubai Open and beating top rated GMs in several championship showdowns.

So’s biggest win was the tough Dubai Open in April where he ended up tied with fellow GMs Li Chao (China), Eshan Ghaem Maghami (Iran) and Merab Gagunashvili of Azerbaijan, but won the title due to a higher tiebreak score.

He also competed against top GMs first beating Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto, 4-2, in their head-to-head match up then topping the 12-player Battle of GMs Chess Championship in the Philippines with 8.5 points.

So then steered Team Philippines to a third place finish in the World Under-16 Chess Olympiad where he won the top board gold and saw action for the second time in the 38th World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany where the Filipinos finished 46th overall.

He is currently competing in the Aeroflot Open Chess Festival 2009 at the Hotel Gamma-Delta inside the Izmailovo Tourist Complex in Moscow, Russia.

Source: GMANews.TV

1st Coun. Noel "Onie" Bayona Chess Cup

Calling chess players in Pasay City.

The Malibay Chess Club, in cooperation with Coun. Noel "Onie" Bayona, will stage the 1st Coun. Noel "Onie Bayona Chess Cup on March 07, 2009, 10:am, at Malibay Gym in Pasay City.

There's no registration fee. Cash prizes and trophies await the winners.

Only players rated 2000 and below may join. Please come and enjoy the games.

Watch and be amazed

The father of the 6-year old wonder boy Stephen Rome Pangilinan sent me several games of Stephen in PGN format.

I watched the games and was really amazed!!

I just couldn't believe that I was watching a game of a 6-year old kid. Take this one for instance:

Position after 17. . . Rfe8.

White (Stephen) to move. Can you spot how Stephen dealt the fatal attack?

This wonder boy unleashed 18.Bf6!! Wow! Seeing a very young talent make this kind of move simply amazed me.

I will post the full game later, promise.

When a hero loses

I felt like dying when GM Wesley So lost against GM Eltaj Safarli in Round 5 of the ongoing Aeoroflot Open 2009.

The pain was simply unbearable.

I don't know. I just don't know.

I hate the whole world. I hate everybody.

I don't know. I just don't know.

I just hate seeing my hero lose a fight.

Label me anyway you want. Oh shit! Label me anyway you want.

I just hate it.

Ahhhh . . . that 5th round loss will surely deprive me of sanity for a number of fucking days.

Still a good fight in Aeroflot Open 2009

Rankings of our Filipino chess warriors in the ongoing Aeroflot Open 2009 in Moscow, Russia after four rounds of play:

Tournament A1 [Leading player is GM Igor Kurnosov ( 2602) of Russia with 3.5 points]

GM Wesley So

- 19th position (total of 78 players)

- 2.5 points (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss)

Tournament A2 [Leading player is GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov (2541) of Russia with 3.5 points]

IM Richard Bitoon

- 22nd position (a total of 84 players)

- 2.5 points (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss)

Tournament B (After Round 5)

[Leading player is Hanbin Li (2274) of China with perfect 5.0!! (5 wins in 5 games), for a monster TPR of 3117 ]

Haridas Pascua

- 25th position (a total of 80 players)

- 3.0 points (2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss)

Jan Emmanuel Garcia

- 53rd position

- 2.0 points (4 draws, 1 loss)

Gm Wesley So

I hope that GM Wesley So finally gets back to his best form after beating IM Tatiana Kosintseva (2497) of Russia.

For the third time in this tournament (Aeroflot Open 2009), he will face a Russian opponent in Round 4 in the name of GM Sergey Grigoriants (2565).

We all know that his 2.0 points after three rounds were not really that impressive -- thanks for the 1.0 point extracted from Round 1 win against GM Anton Flippov (2556) of Uzbekistan.

It should have been 1.0 after three rounds.

Or worse, if not for the 'luck' in Round 1, his Round 3 game might have been affected by the supposed back-to-back losses.

It was a Russian opponent in Round 2, IM Pavel Ponkratov (2557), who dealt Wesley's first (and hopefully, last) bitter loss in this highly competitive tournament.

It's a Russian opponent again in Round 4. It's high time to show that he's not in anyway afraid of the Russians!

Go, Wesley! Conquer Moscow!!!

Watch Wesley's games:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3

IM Richard Bitoon

The lone Filipino participant in Tournament A2, IM Richard Bitoon is still within striking distance from tournament leaders with 2.0 points after three rounds.

Notably, he posted his two wins using the black armies!

He is pitted against a non-master Russian opponent in the name of Ilia Iljiushenok with a rating of 2360.

Let's pray for him!

Haridas Pascua

Haridas Pascua, competing in Tournament B with compatriot Jan Emmanuel Garcia, suffered his first loss in four outings to post 2.0 points.

He defeated a Russian opponent in Round 1 and drew with another Russian in Round 2.

Let's hope that he gets the scalp of another Russian in Round 5.

Jan Emmanuel Garcia

After four rounds of play, Jan Emmanuel Garcia, one of the two Filipino bets in Tournament B of Aeroflot Open 2009, has piled up 1.5 points out of three draws and a loss.

May he finally get his first win in Round 5 against Mushfig Asqarov (2192) of Azerbia . Let's wish him good luck!

Amazing secret in Aeroflot Open 2009

The three wins (GM So, IM Bitoon, and Pascua) and one draw (Garcia) by the four-man Philippine contingent in the ongoing Aeroflot Open 2009 served as a generally good start.

As we observed in this Filipino campaign in the first round, we could somehow conclude that chess is not all mental power.

Surely, there’s more than intelligence.

Luck comes into play – sometimes.

And the power of collective prayers? Let’s ask GM Flippov Anton of Uzbekistan – the victim of Wesley in the first round.

I bet that it is only the Filipino combatants in Aeroflot Open who have a legion of supporters praying for them.

Only Filipinos can do that – something that can amaze the whole world.

Aeroflot 2009 Round 1 pairings

Here are the Round 1 pairings for our Filipino players in Aeroflot 2009:

Tournament A1 (Total of 78 players)
Board 25. GM Wesley So (2627) vs GM Anton Filippov (2556) of Uzbekistan

Tournament A2 (Total of 82(?) players)
Board 71. FM Eric Hansen (2376) of Canada vs IM Richard Bitoon (2473)

Tournament B (Total of 80 players)
Board 6. Jan Emmanuel Garcia (2283) vs WGM Baira Kovanova (2386) of Russia

Board 28. Andrei Abramov (2219) of Russia vs Haridas Pascua (2343)

Good luck to our players!!!

IM Nadera tops Aurora Rapid National Open

Here are the top finishers in the recently concluded Aurora Rapid National Open (Gov. Bellaflor Angara Cup):

(Based on the post of JEM in pinoychess forum):

6.5 points:
- Nadera

6.0 points:
- Senador
- Elorta
- Paragua

5.5 points
- Nolte
- Llavanes

5.0 points
- Laylo
- Aureada
- Suelo

GM Joseph Sanchez

Reports are spreading that former IM Joseph Sanchez (2461) is now the 11th Filipino international grandmaster.

It was reported that Sanchez earned his 3rd and final GM norm after finishing third in the recently concluded 23rd Cannes Chess Festival in France.

Based on the blog post of Mr. Bobby Ang on the pinoychess forum, Sanchez's FIDE rating will hit 2507 by April, meeting all the requirements for the GM title.

Born in 1970, Sanchez is now ranked 12th in the Philippines and 128th (all players) in Asia.

Congratulations!

I just don't know if Sanchez's GM quest is made possible under the NCFP watch.

But set aside the rankings, ratings and titles for now. Watch this GAME and see how a lower-rated Filipino GM demolished a 2600-rated GM.

Sanchez's explosive tactics were displayed in this match. Also, a Knight plus Bishop against a lone King endgame really happens even in a strong tournament.

Notably, Sanchez demonstrated how it's done over the board.

3rd Edang Rapid Chess Tournament

Rev. Pastor Larry Teodoro successfully launched the 3rd Edang Rapid Chess Tournament in Pasay City over the weekend.

Exclusive for Brgy. Edang chess players only, this event has a unique feature as it uses a nine-round format that runs for five days.

Two 30-minute games will be played in one day (Saturday to Tuesday) and then the final round on Wednesday (February 18).

Pastor Larry, a true chess lover and community leader, trains a number of kids in his barangay (Brgy 154, Zone 16) to involve the youth in sports, particularly chess.

He also serves as a Barangay Kagawad in his constituency.

Pastor Larry (holding a paper) administers the barangay tournament -- a community project that deserves double exclamation points!!

Aeroflot Open 2009

Here we come, Russia!


The four-man Philippine contingent to Aeroflot Open 2009 -- GM Wesley So, IM Richard Bitoon, Haridas Pascua, and Jan Emmanuel Garcia -- is bound to make history.

History, because for the first time in Philippine chess, an almost U16 group will wave the Philippine flag in a land known as the real chess powerhouse.


History, because Wesley is there. Who knows, Wesley continues his momentum of conquering the world of chess.

He already conquered the Middle East and the Netherlands. Time to melt the iron curtain.


Individually, I see varied goals for our four players.


Wesley, for confirming his world-class status and creeping in to the 2700-rating mark.


Richard, for getting his second or final GM norm?


Haridas and Jan Emmanuel, for international exposure and FIDE title.


Their goals might vary, but they must have something in common -- that is, to bring honor to the Philippines and make the Filipino chess community happy, entertained, and satisfied.


For sure, the mission ahead of them is tough. Let's make it a little bearable through our soulful and selfless prayers.

Here are some facts about Aeroflot Open 2009:


The International Chess Festival "Aeroflot Open 2009" will be held in Moscow from 16 February (the day of arrival) to 27 February 2009 (the day of departure).


The Aeroflot Open Chess Festival, which is popular throughout the world, will be held in February2009 for the eighth time running. This major event is open to chess players of most varied qualification: from unrated to having a very high rating.


As before, the festival is held “under the wings” of our leading air company – Aeroflot. For the fourth year running the festival will take place in the major tourist complex “Izmailovo” - hotel “Gamma – Delta”, where the participants of the previous festivals so liked to stay and to play.


This time the festival has the largest prize fund in the entire history of Aeroflot Open Festival - EUR 180 000 (taking into account the prizes for the World Blitz Qualification Tournament).


Four Open Tournaments (A1,A2, B and C) are made up according to the rating of the participants. Naturally, the most interest is aroused by A1 tournament, requiring from a participant a rating above 2550 and usually boasting a number of extra class players.


This time, within the festival the Qualification Tournament for the World Blitz Championship will be held in addition to four open tournaments.The official hotel and tournament venue is hotel "Gamma-Delta" belonging to the Tourist Complex "Ismailovo".


The Organizers of the Festival are the "Aeroflot-Russian Airlines", the Association of Chess Federations and the Russian Chess Federation in cooperation with the Committee on Tourism of the Municipality of Moscow.


The schedule of games:



The venue:

Physical exercise and chess

I chanced upon an article about the importance of physical training in relation to improving one’s chess abilities.

As you all know, GM Wesley So’s bodily exercise includes an hour of jogging everyday.

Imagine, Wesley is only 15 years old, yet he does a disciplined physical training as part of his conditioning in preparation for tough chess battles ahead.

How much more with the aged?

In the Philippine scene, it’s common to see chess players who smoke a lot while playing. One push of a pawn, puff. Move again, puff.

Ahh, it’s a punishment for a non-smoker to play against a chain smoker (of course smoking is not allowed in a formal tournament).

And would you believe, there are those who bring a wine with them (in mineral water bottles) when playing a chess game?

A sip of wine, ahh, move a pawn, a puff of cigarette, move a pawn – as if they’re treating their Queens as their GRO.

Without physical exercise, the biological bodies – not their Kings on the board -- of those chess players would be mated instead.

Time for a change. Let’s exercise and keep on playing chess.

You might be interested to read the following article that I sourced online (in case you haven’t read it yet):

Exercise Can Significantly Help Your Chess Game

For years, world class chess players have prepared for important chess tournaments by exercising, but few chess players know how to do this in an optimum way. Serious chess players are intellectuals and not inclined to keep up a regular regimen of exercise. That’s probably one of the reasons that few chess players remain at world class level into their forties and older.

Yes, chess players get older, but with a healthy diet and exercise program, a chess player can stay physically fit and healthy far into old age.Chess players who understand the need to become and stay physically fit, especially to prepare for important matches, will do better if they tailor their exercise program to fit their chess playing goals.

Often, however, even a grandmaster will exercise in a hodgepodge way rather than systematically with his chess playing purposes in mind. He might hire coaches and trainers, but not a physical trainer who understands his purpose in exercising.

Most people exercise to increase their capacity to exercise, but chess players exercise to increase their capacity to sit still for a long time. That's not what physical exercise trainers are used to!Why should you, as a serious chess player, exercise?

First, to increase your brain's ability to concentrate, remember, focus, visualize, and plan ahead. To ensure a steady, rich supply of oxygen to your brain, you have to increase your cardiovascular capacity.

Second, to increase your body's ability to sit still and be comfortable for long periods of time. Keeping your muscles toned and strong and your joints flexible will prevent aches and pains from distracting you and keeping you from concentrating on the game.

The four best ways to increase your cardiovascular capacity are walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling.While exercising, eliminate distractions to the greatest extent possible. You want to be able to let your mind relax and wander without having to deal with interruptions in your environment.

You might take a walk in a quiet neighborhood instead of in a mall or on a busy street so that you don’t have to watch out for traffic. You could jog on a track or jogging trail. If you swim, you could choose a time when you have the pool to yourself, or when there are only a few other adults. If you cycle, you could find a bicycle path in a park or use a stationary bicycle.

To achieve your purposes, you might stay away from sports like golf and tennis, as the exercise benefits are uneven, especially if you ride a golf cart instead of walk. Team sports involve their own set of skills and mindset. If you play tennis, for example, your competitive nature might tempt you to practice your backhand instead of your chess end game.

Two excellent choices for improving your body’s flexibility, energy level, muscle tone, and overall health are yoga and tai chi.Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years to keep the body flexible and healthy.

It was originally developed by yogis in India seeking to be free of any disease or discomfort that would distract them from the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. You might think it's tough to sit for eight hours during a chess tournament, but yogis can meditate for days on end sitting cross-legged on cave floors.

Today it’s easy to join a yoga class where you can learn many good exercises, such as the head stand and shoulder stand, for improving blood flow to the brain, strengthening the back and all the muscles, keeping the joints in good shape, and stimulating the internal organs to work better.

Pilates is a set of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates that combines yoga exercises and exercises from other sports disciplines.Tai chi, a Chinese system of exercise that is also thousands of years old, is another great way to develop physical flexibility and total health.

You can learn tai chi through a local class or you can learn from a video or book.Weight training may be essential for athletes, but a chess player only needs to maintain muscle strength, tone, and mass and good circulation. Aerobic exercise, yoga, tai chi, or Pilates are all excellent ways to accomplish this.

If you want to increase your upper body strength, you can always add a few pushups to your daily routine. The benefits of staying physically fit will repay the time you put into exercising. Not only will your chess playing improve, but you’ll be able to sleep better and therefore need less sleep.

This means you’ll have more time to study chess!Few chess champions know how to get the most out of their exercise regimen. Don’t be one of them. Physically fit, during chess tournaments you’ll find it easier to maintain your competitive zeal and mental focus. This will give you an important edge over your opponent. (source)

Gov. Bella Flor Angara-Castillo Cup National Open Rapid Chess Championship

After the grand standard chess tournament in Nueva Ecija (Umali Cup) which was topped by GM Mark Paragua, another money-rich tournament is up for grabs for our local talents.

And this time again, the tournament is hosted by a provincial government. It’s been a one-two punch by our provincial governments. Bravo!

Nueva Ecija then Aurora. You see the trend? Provincial governors are getting hooked to staging money-rich tournaments.

Let’s say this good trend continues. Given that we have some 80 provinces in the country, and let’s say half of this number, or only those ‘rich’ provinces, stage a tournament of their own.

Hmmnnn, good for our local talents.

But wait a minute. Don’t forget that it’s 2009 this year. And next year will be election time again. Ah, that might be the real force behind it.

I’m looking at the brighter side, though.

Here’s the details about the Aurora tournament (got it from Philstar online):

The provincial government of Aurora, in coordination with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, is holding the Gov. Bella Flor Angara-Castillo Cup National Open Rapid Chess Championship Feb. 14-15 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Capitol Bldg., Baler, Aurora.

The two-day rapid tournament, open to all NCFP members in good standing, is expected to attract top rated players not only from Manila but also from Aurora and other provinces.
It will be played under the Swiss System format, with each player given 25 minutes to finish the game. The event kicks off at 10 a.m.

Up for grabs is a total cash pot of P 127,000. The winner pockets P 30,000, second placer P 20,000, third P10,000, fourth P8,000, fifth P6,000, sixth P4,000, seventh P3,000, eighth P2,500, ninth P2,000, 10th P1,500 and 11th to 20th place P1,000 each.

Special prizes for top kiddies (14 years and below) are P5,000 for the champion, P3,000 for second, P2,000 for third, P1,500 fourth, P1,000 fifth and P500 each for sixth-10th.
The top three women, top Aurora province player and top Aurora province kiddie shall receive P2,000, P1,500 and P1,000, respectively.

Grandmasters Mark Paragua, fresh from capturing the Gov. Umali Cup title, Buenaventura Villamayor, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales and John Paul Gomez lead the early registrants.
Governor Bella Flor Angara-Castillo, NCFP president Prospero Pichay Jr., Grandmaster Eugene Torre and other Aurora province officials will be the guests of honor during the opening ceremonies to be held at 1 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Information, registration: NCFP executive director Willie Abalos at 09292266210 / 09292390644 or the secretariat (02) 3817224, 09277209260 or 09053269576 or Aurora provincial sports director Engr. Cornelio Ancheta Jr. mobile 0918-4112338.

And just in case you want to join the tournament, here are some info on how to get there:

GETTING TO AURORA
The province can be accessed from Manila via two routes, the Canili-Pantabangan road and the Baler-Bongabon Road. The former leads into the town of Maria Aurora. Some portions of the road are very steep. The latter route leads to the town of San Luis and ends in Baler. This route is more commonly used. The use of public transportation is recommended for traveling to Baler. Driving a personal vehicle to Baler may be difficult, given the long drive through rough, narrow and zigzagging mountain roads.

Sport utility vehicles are highly recommended.From time to time, the Baler-Bongabon road is inaccessible due to landslides and typhoons.Travelers are advised to contact locals, local government offices or public transportation companies which have routes to/from Aurora for information on which route is ideal to use at any given time.

Land Transportation
Manila to BalerFrom Manila, enter the North Expressway at Balintawak and exit at Sta. Rita Bulacan. From there, follow the highway leading to Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. It is advisable to stop for a snack here in preparation for a rough journey.

From Cabanatuan City Proper, follow signs leading to Bongabon until you come to a fork, where you see a sign "to Baler" headed right. Turn right and you will reach the foot of the Baler-Bongabon highway which eventually runs right into Aurora National Memorial Park.

Beware of wild zigzagging roads, fast trucks and landslides during rainy season. Use this opportunity to view the lush virgin forests of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. After approximately 150 kilometers, you will see the Aurora Welcome Arch. Proceed until you reach the town of San Luis. Stay on the highway until you see the sign going to Baler, and you will be in its town proper within minutes.

Genesis Transport Bus provides the only direct route to Baler from Metro Manila. One way fare costs PhP341. Its terminal is located along EDSA in Pasay City. You may call +63 (2) 551-0842 or +63 (2) 853-3115 for inquiries.

There are Pantranco North buses that go on daily trips from Manila to Cabanatuan, and sometimes also goes through to Baler. Take a bus marked Aparri, Ilagan, San Jose or Tuguegarao. The trip takes about two and a half hours. Travelers from the north will have to change buses at Cabanatuan.

Alternatively, take a Baliwag Transit bus from the terminal at Cubao, Quezon City, which goes to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. From there, go to the Sierra Madre Transit or Pantranco terminals and take a bus heading for Baler. The last bus leaves at 3:00 p.m. Jeepney rides are also available. On the return trip, take the Genesis Sierra Madre and Pantranco buses from Baler Poblacion.

Manila to DingalanTake a bus from Manila to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Once there, find the terminal for the Dingalan-bound buses and take a Danilo Express bus bound for Dingalan. A jeepney is also an option. On the return trip to Manila, take the Danilo Express. There are only two bus trips to and from Dingalan in a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

Sea Transportation
To get around Aurora by sea, passenger boats depart from Duungan, located in a river leading to Baler Bay and Baler Poblacion. The boats are docked along the banks, just adjacent to a bridge connecting the Poblacion and Barangay Sabang. Trips to Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran and Dilasag are available.

Trips to the south of Baler are possible only by renting bancas. Such boat rides are only available when the seas are fairly calm, to avoid endangering travelers.
No commercial passenger boats are available in Dingalan. Renting a boat is necessary to reach other coastal areas.

Air Transportation
SEAIR has 8:00 AM flights from Manila to Baler every Friday and Monday. SEAIR then flies back from Baler to Manila at 9:30 AM.

SEAir planes will actually land on an airfield in San Luis, which is currently maintained and manned by the Philippine Army. It can accommodate light chartered aircraft such as Cessnas, Fokkers, Islanders, Sunrisers and other light planes and helicopters. A flight from Manila takes about 45 minutes. The airfield is only about 20 minutes away by land to Baler.

Another private airstrip is located in Motyong, Casiguran. This is currently used by logging concessionaires.

For more information, click HERE.

IM Richard Bitoon

And so it’s confirmed.

Mrs. Leny So, mother of GM Wesley So, kibitzed on the kibitz page of Wesley on chessgames.com that NCFP Director Willie Abalos had already gone to the bank to pay for her son’s trip ticket for Aeroflot 2009.

Good news, indeed.

Let’s now talk about IM Richard Bitoon, the Filipino chess combatant who completes the four-man RP contingent to Aeroflot in Moscow this year.

Bitoon was reported to enter the A-2 Division, with GM Wesley in A-1 and the other two teeners (Haridas Pascua and Emmanuel Garcia) in Division B.

So what can we expect from Bitoon in his Aeroflot campaign?

His most recent successful international stint was his triumph in the recent 5th Singapore Masters International Open Tournament 2008 where emerged as the solo champion.

Bitoon's draw in the final round against Thanh Son Nguyen (2434) of Vietnam was enough to put him in solo first place. His rating performance of 2596 from four wins and five draws (no losses) might not be so impressive, but that earned him 19.5 Elo points.

I don’t know if it’s true that, after long years of being an IM, it was only in this tournament that he earned his first International Grandmaster (GM) norm, which means that he still needs two more such norms and also to get his rating to the 2500+ level to earn the GM status.

Othes are saying, however, that Bitoon has already collected two GM norms and therefore needs only one and final norm to achieve the full GM title.

Can somebody please shed enlightenment on this?

One thing for sure, Bitoon will become a GM in the near future.

Here are some of his recent accomplishments:

Umali Cup
- tied for 3rd to 9th place (4th overall)

4th Pichay Cup
- 8th placer

1st Dragon Vietnam Chess Open
- 13th placer

IM Bitoon (in green shirt) pondering on his next move against his 'missing' opponent. Guess who was his opponent in this round of the 3rd PGMA Cup? AND, can you identify the man (standing) who was 'seriously' watching the game?

This was his opponent! Can you identify him by simply looking from his back? Bitoon lost in this game.

Stephen Rome Pangilinan

Remember the 6-year old boy Stephen Rome Pangilinan who at his very young age can already battle against opponents more than twice his age?

As observers put it, this boy could be another Wesley So in the making.

He first drew attention when he did a respectable accomplishment. Well, he ‘simply’ tied for first to second place with eventual champion Claudio Olar Jr. in one MCC kiddies (16-under) tournament held in Mandaluyong City.

I had a chance to have a short chat with the young parents of Stephen one Sunday when I and my chess sparring mate visited MCC in Mandaluyong.

This boy is lucky because he has very supportive parents. His mom and dad (Bong), still with backpacks straight from night-shift job, accompanied their prized son whom they enrolled in MCC chess clinic.

“Wala pa ngang tulog, pero OK lang,” said Bong whose eyes beamed with pride and optimism about his gifted son.

Interestingly, he showed me the report card of Stephen in school. To my amazement, Stephen is really a bright boy not only in chess but also in school.

Bong said his son is improving academically. Oh, yes. His grades do the talking. All his grades in the first report dramatically improved in the second reporting.

He said that Stephen was ranked Top 4 in the first grading. That improved to Top 2 in the second grading. Excellent, indeed.

Remember the HOTS (higher-order thinking skills) concept? As studies have shown, chess improves the analytical skills of kids.

That’s why the move of DepEd in including chess in the school curriculum is a move that deserves double exclamation points!!

By the way, a close friend told me that it was Bro. Rolly Dizon, NCFP director for Mindanao(?), who advised DepEd Secretary Lapus about the inclusion of chess in school academics.

And that friend of mine was the one who provided Bro. Dizon with the literature and researched facts about the benefits from chess.

May Stephen follow the footsteps of great chess legends who are well accomplished in school academics while excelling at the same time in chess.

Jan Emmanuel Garcia

Jan Emmanuel Garcia (right, without cap) shown here playing against Sherwin Tiu, a frequent visitor to the Malibay Chess Club, during the Shell Active Chess finals in 2008.

As much as possible, I want to feature all of the reported Filipino participants in Aeroflot 2009 (if ever their participation pushes through).

I’ve already done some posts about GM Wesley So and Haridas Pascua.

This time I want to focus the spotlight on the 14-year old(?) Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

I personally saw Jan Emmanuel play during the 1st Mayor Alfredo Lim Rapid Chess Tournament and the 1st Bangkal Rapid Chess Tournament.

Interestingly, a man (I guess it’s his father) was in the playing area watching intently and listing down the moves being made throughout the course of the game.

Perhaps it’s their style of improving the boy’s game performance. As you all know, recording of moves is not required in rapid games.

I just don’t know if chess tournaments really allow parents in the playing area (just asking).

During the 1st Bangkal Rapid Chess Tournament, I can still remember that he played against the ace player of the Malibay Chess Club – Merben Roque, the tournament’s eventual champion.

They were playing on Board 1 (in the penultimate round, I guess), with Jan Emmanuel winning the game.

However, the young boy made a mistake in the endgame and lost.

He was teary, almost in the brink of shedding rich tears from his youthful eyes. It’s understandable, he’s still a kid for heaven’s sake!

The sadder part is that (if my observation serves me right), he received some not-so-good words from people close to him instead of consolation. It was like pouring salt into a fresh, open wound.

Ironically, the boy received encouraging words from his opponent Roque, the topseed of the event which drew roughly 100 players.

As Roque put it, “Magaling ka na talaga. Muntik na ako matalo.”

Magaling na ba talaga?

Well, he’s a member of the Philippine team (GM Wesley So, Haridas Pascua, Alcon John Datu, and himself) to the World U-16 Olympiad (Turkey, August 16-25, 2008) where they placed 3rd out of 26 teams.

Manning Board 4, he scored 7.0 points out of 10 games.

Also, let’s watch his game against a much higher rated opponent in the name of David Elorta.

ELORTA,David (2405) - GARCIA,Jan Emmanuel (2232)
4th Pichay Cup
Duty Free Fiesta Mall, Philipp
(6.29), 17.09.2008

1.Nf3 g6 2.h4 Nf6 3.b3 Bg7 4.Bb2 d6 5.d4 h6 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.e4 e6 8.Bd3 Qe7 9.e5 dxe5 10.Nxe5 0-0 11.g4 c5 12.g5 Nh5 13.gxh6 Bxh6 14.Nxd7 Bxd7 15.dxc5 Bg7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qf3 Qxc5 18.0-0-0 Bc6 19.Be4 Rac8 20.Rhg1 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Nf6 22.Qd3 Rfd8 23.b4 Qxf2 24.Rdf1 Qxg1 0-1

Black to move. Position after 24.Rdf1.

Black unleashed 24. . . Qxg1! White resigned.

We wish Jan Emmanuel good luck!

Haridas Pascua

When I learned that Haridas Pascua is among the Filipino woodpushers who will play in Aeoroflot 2009 in Moscow, I can’t help writing a post about him.

As you all know, he will fly to Moscow together with GM Wesley So, IM Richard Bitoon, and Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

If my stock knowledge is right, Haridas is from Baguio City. I have this some sort of “relatedness” with those coming from the City of Pines. It’s just that I stayed for four years there during my college years. I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of the Philippines in Baguio.

UP Baguio is now autonomous. But during my time there, it did not enjoy autonomy as it was annexed to UP Diliman.

Anyway, it was my first time to see Haridas in action when he defeated Merben Roque, the ace of Malibay Chess Club, during the 1st Mayor Alfredo Lim Rapid Chess tournament in SM Manila in 2008.

I can still remember that Haridas, holding the white pieces, beat Roque in a Benoni fight. Haridas trapped Roque’s knight and eventually won the game. But in the end, Haridas settled for second place only (am not sure, though).

Born in 1993, he now parades a FIDE rating of 2343 and is presently the 39th highest ranked player in the country. Despite his strength as a competitive player, I believe that he’s not earned any master’s title yet (correct me if I’m wrong).

In this campaign in Aeroflot and all the other campaigns that lie ahead, we wish Haridas all the luck.

See my previous post about Haridas. Please click HERE.

Haridas Pascua (right) battling Edmundo Gatus during the 1st Mayor Alfredo Lim Rapid Chess Tournament at SM Manila in 2008.

GM Wesley So and the Philippine media

By the way the Philippine media is covering the exploits of GM Wesley So, one could easily deduce the idea that Wesley is the Philippine chess.

What do I mean by that?

The media does not look at the entirety of sports. It zooms in on the extraordinary.

The media focuses its attention on one personality that can embody the totality of a certain sport.

The media wants a name. It wants a face.

But it wants only one name. Only one face. That is the best way to build up a readership or viewership.

It’s just like serializing the story of a hero, or a “bida.” That way, a news item becomes a hot product to sell.

Take for instance, Manny Pacquiao. He is simply the Philippine boxing. Did you know that Pacquiao is in the news everyday last year – and that is from January 1 up to December 31?

Why that media attention? Pacquiao sells, you know.

Media is business, after all. The political economy of mass media dictates what to land on the pages of newspapers or what to see on TV.

Wesley is indeed lucky – even providential – to get the attention of media. In the first place, he rightfully deserved it.

The thing is, he is not simply covered by the media – he is glorified by it! He is positioned in the minds of the public as a good boy hero.

Am I right to say that it is Wesley who put back Philippine chess in the radar of Philippine media nowadays?

Everything seems going right for Wesley. The successes in international tournaments. The legion of fans and supporters. The media attention.

I don’t think that it is Wesley who went to the media for attention. Wesley just did the right things. He displayed extraordinary talent. He showed a wonderful attitude – that of humility that every Filipino adores as part of our culture.

It is his own nature that is his best PR.

In the end, doing the right things really pays.

A recent news about Wesley:

Wesley So joining Aeroflot chess tilt
By Roy Luarca

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 02:36:00 02/05/2009

Filed Under:
Most Read

MANILA, Philippines—It’s going to be another busy year for teen sensation Wesley So.
Minutes after his arrival in Manila from The Netherlands, where he topped Group C of the 71st Corus Chess Tournament, the 15-year-old So said that he is slated to leave anew for the 2009 Aeroflot Open chess championship which starts Feb. 16 in Moscow, Russia.

“The Aeroflot will be a tougher, bigger challenge for me,” said So, currently the world’s youngest Grandmaster.

“Just a little rest and then I’ll resume practice,” added So, who arrived on Wednesday with his father William.

They were welcomed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by National Chess Federation of the Philippines executive director Willie Abalos, who represented NCFP head Prospero “Butch” Pichay, and chess patron Reginald Tee.

Wesley has been bracketed in the centerpiece A-1 division, confined to players with ELO rating of at least 2550.

Other Filipinos competing in the week-long event offering a total purse of 140,000 euros are International Master Richard Bitoon, Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Haridas Pascua.

Bitoon is entered in Division A-2, while Garcia and Pascua will participate in Division B. GM John Paul Gomez and IM Julio Catalino Sadorra took part in Division A-2 last year, with Gomez winding up 21st, and Sadorra 76th.