Meycauayan 1st Sunday 2000 and below standard rating chess tournament

BY: RICHARD DELA CRUZ (Chess Windows Bulacan Correspondent)

The Meycauayan 1st Sunday 2000 and below standard rating chess tournament gets underway at 11 am on Sunday (April 4) at the 2nd level, Entertainment Center , Aliw Complex in Meycauayan City , Bulacan.

At stake in this one-day tournament are P3,000 for the Champion, P2000 to 2nd, P1,000 to 3rd, P500 to the 4th and 5th placer. Prizes are broken down to 10 places. Cash prizes will also be awarded to the top finisher in their respective category, lady, kiddie, Senior and top Meycauayan player.

Interested parties are advised to register at least before the competition starts, registration fee is P250 and Kiddies is P150. For other details, contact Meycauayan Chess Club at 0910-9318705 or 0923-8120430.

(NOTE: Richard celebrated his birthday last March 29. This young man promises to be a genuine chess leader in their community. Good luck, Richard, and belated happy birthday!!)

FISCHER’S REMAINS WILL BE EXHUMED

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

IN a bizarre twist to the battle for the estate left by the late chess legend Bobby Fischer, lawyer Sammy Estimo revealed that the remains of the chess icon will be exhumed soon.

Estimo, lawyer of Fischer’s Filipino child, Jinky Young, said that Judge Sigrun Gudmundsdottir of the Icelandic probate court found no DNA samples of Fischer at the National Hospital in Iceland where the ex-world champion died on January 17, 2008 of renal failure.

Because of this development, Estimo and his collaborating Icelandic lawyer,Thordur Bogason, were left with no other recourse but to request the court to issue an order for the exhumation of Bobby’s remain for DNA samples to be tested with the blood samples extracted from Jinky when she went to Iceland in December last year.

Jinky, Fischer’s nephews and the Japanese Miyoko Watai, who claims to have married Fischer in 2004, are claimants to the P140 Million and gold deposits left by the chess genius at the Landsbanki in Reykjavik. Fischer also purchased real estate properties in Iceland where he became a citizen after his release from a Japanese airport prison in 2005.

In a decision issued by the Supreme Court of Iceland in December last year, Watai’s marriage to Fischer was invalidated because of the failure of the Japanese to present the original of their alleged marriage certificate.

On April 16, Judge Gudmundsdottir will resolve the request of Jinky for the disinterment of her father’s remains in a cemetery in Selfoss town, south Iceland.

Estimo had predicted before that this saga would reach this far ---- for Bobby Fischer to rise again and provide the solution to this puzzle on his estate.

World's top juniors race towards 2700

(NOTE: I met the author of this post last Sunday at the venue of the Pichay & Davis Chess Cup in Pasay City. It was indeed nice to meet you, Sir Joey. Also known as joeyj over chessgames.com, Mr. Jeroes started a wonderful thread over at philboxing.com called PROJECT 2700, which I think is an offshoot of the PROJECT 2700 track which I prominently placed at the sidebar of this page.)

BY: JOEY JEREOS

Data based on March 2010 FIDE's Ratings + LIVE RATINGS as of 29 March 2010
Source: FIDE Individual Calculations
Note: The Top 3 Juniors: GMs Carlsen NOR(2813), Vachier-Lagrave FRA(2727) & Karjakin RUS(2725) were already in the Hyper-GM Status (2700+)

BOGM 2010 Women (Survey Results)

As you all know, the 2010 Battle of Grandmasters has been moved to a later date - for lack of venue. The reason does not sound so good to the ears, which could even elicit a spontaneous reaction of "Huh?," with your mouth gaping and eyes widely dilated.

BOGM was originally scheduled last March 15-23 (Dapitan), then to March 23-30 (Manila), and now moved to May 24-31 in Tagaytay City. As announced, the earliest possible schedule is only after the Asian Individual/Continental Championships which is scheduled to take place from April 20 to 30.

A big event like this should be well planned way ahead of time. The lack of venue being the main reason for the postponement erodes the credibility of the organizers behind it.

If you saw silliness in my survey as to who would win the BOGM 2010 Women's Division, I won't blame you. Nonetheless, as I had said in my previous post, the result of the survey is still worth a talk.

So after a week of survey, a total of 97 readers of Chess Windows participated. (First of all, my thanks to all those who took efforts to vote.) Should the BOGM 2010 push through and provided that the list of participants remains the same as announced, it would be interesting to find out if indeed the actual results of the tournament tally with the readers' pulse.

The question in the survey was: "Who do you think would win the Battle of Grandmasters 2010 Women's Division?

Here is the result (please click on chart for larger view):

Champion of Europe

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 29 March 2010)

11th European Individual Championship Rijeka, Croatia March 6-18, 2010
Final Top Standings

1. GM Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2656, 9.0/11
2-3. GM Baadur Jobava GEO 2695, GM Artyom Timofeev RUS 2655, 8.5/11
4-10. GM Zahar Efimenko UKR 2640, GM Zoltan Almasi HUN 2720, GM Igor Lysyj RUS 2615, GM Evgeny Tomashevsky RUS 2701, GM Ivan Salgado Lopez ESP 2592, GM Maxim Rodshtein ISR 2609, GM Arman Pashikian ARM 2652, 8.0/11

Total of 408 participants

Notes: (1) This was an 11-round Swiss System Tournament. Time control was 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, after which the players get 30 minutes more for the rest of the game, 30-second increment starting the first move.

(2) 196 Grandmasters participated in the Championships

(3) From this event, 23 players qualified for the World Cup: Nepomniachtchi, Jobava, Timofeev, Efimenko, Lysy, Almasi, Tomashevski, Rodshtein, Salgado Lopez, Pashikian, Mamedov, Movsesian, Drozdovskij, Babula, Vorobiov, Akopian, Berkes, Potkin, Halkias, Nisipeanu, Alekseev, Grachev and Socko.

Nineteen-year-old GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (born 14 July 1990), underscored his reputation as one of the world’s fastest rising stars by winning the 11th European Individual Championship ahead of a host of GMs.

Ian is a product of the new Russian school of chess. He has been playing since the age of four and was nurtured by a series of great coaches, including the trainer of Russia’s national junior team GM Sergey Janovsky. He soon started picking up trophies in junior competitions. He won the European Youth Chess Championship three times, and in 2002 was the 12-Under World Youth Champion. In early 2008 this all changed -- Nepomniachtchi scored his first major achievement as an adult player by winning the world’s strongest open tournament, Aeroflot Moscow, and qualified for the Dortmund supertournament.

Nepomniachtchi is an uncompromising competitor who likes to castle queenside at the first opportunity and launch an attack against the enemy king -- it is no surprise that when asked who is favorite player is, he immediately named the late "Magician from Riga," former world champion Mikhail Tal. Take note that he comes from a tough age group -- those born in 1990 -- and his accomplishments still pale in comparison with his contemporaries Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is rising even faster -- but Nepomniachtchi will get there himself soon.

A humorous aside -- the popular chess journalist Mig Greengard calls Ian "ctrl+v," no doubt because his name is so difficult to spell that people usually wind up doing a copy+paste rather than try to type it out themselves.

Let us take a look at some of his games.

The Georgian GM Jobava led the tournament for most of the way, but lost to Ian in a spectacular game (which I will show you next column) in round 9 and could not come back. Jobava tried hard and even scored a terrific win over Khismatullin in the last round but saw this great effort come to naught when Ian produced a powerful give-you-no-chances-to-draw victory over former world vice-champion Vladimir Akopian.

Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2656) -- Akopian, Vladimir (2688) [C77]
11th EU-ch Rijeka (11), 17.03.2010
REQUIRES JAVA





Nepo finished with a 3.5/4 spurt to win the tournament. In the process he defeated Inarkiev (2667), Jobava (2695) and Akopian (2688). The following game started it all.

Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2656) – Inarkiev, Ernesto (2667) [C77]
11th EU-ch Rijeka (8), 14.03.2010
REQUIRES JAVA





We will continue the story in the next Chess Piece.

NCFP Calendar of Events for 2010

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) has released its calendar of events for 2010:

DATE EVENT Venue
Feb 27 - 28 EXPO 2010 PSC Canteen
Apr 11 - 15 NATIONAL INTER-PROVINCE TEAM Kalibo, Aklan
Apr 20 - 30 ASIAN CONTINENTAL/INDIVIDUAL Subic, Olongapo City
May 15 -19 NATIONAL AGE GROUP Davao City
May 20 - 24 NATIONAL JUNIORS Davao City
May 24 - 31 BATTLE OF GRANDMASTERS Tagaytay City
Jun 4 - 13 11th ASEAN+ AGE GROUP Subic, Olongapo City
Jun 14 - 18 PALAWAN OPEN Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Jun 20 - 30 ASIAN BATTLE OF GRANDMASTERS Manila
July 7-11 NATIONAL INTER-CITIES & MUNICIPALITIES TEAM Mandaluyong City
Aug 15 - 23 2ND PHILIPPINE OPEN LWUA, Q. C.
Aug 23 - 31 6TH PROSPERO PICHAY JR. INTERNATIONAL OPEN LWUA, Q. C.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Manila
Dec 4 - 5 Nat'l Inter-Chess Club Team LWUA, Q. C.

OTHER TOURNAMENTS LIKE THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER

PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Feb 8-19 INTERNATIONAL CHESS OPEN FESTIVAL "AEROFLOT OPEN 2010" Moscow, Russia
Jun 4-13 ASIAN JUNIOR U20 CHAMPIONSHIP Chennai, India
July 1-10 ASIAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Beijing, China
July24-Aug 1 WORLD YOUTH U-16 CHESS OLYMPIAD 2010 Antalya, Turkey
Sep 19-Oct 4 WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
Oct 10-20 ASIAN CLUB CUP CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Al Ain, UAE
Oct19-31 WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP 2010 Haidiki, Greece
Nov 12-27 16th ASIAN GAMES 2010 Guangzhou, China

PACE Training Beginner's Course

Registration is open for the first batch of the PACE TRAINING BEGINNER’S COURSE which will start on April 19, 2010 Monday 9:00am. PACE is accepting students with a minimum age of five years old. For details please contact Boyet Tardecilla at (02) 473-7008, (02) 454-6090 or mobile no. 0916-6169586.

SUMMER RAPID CHESS FESTIVAL WINNERS

BY: BOYET TARDECILLA

Allan Cantonjos of Philippine Air Force showed his supremacy in Chess by winning the just concluded SUMMER RAPID CHESS FESTIVAL that coincided the inaugural opening of the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence (PACE) held last March 26-27 at PACE headquarters, #56 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City.

This maiden chess tournament of PACE was attended by National Chess Federation of the Phils. (NCFP) President Prospero A. Pichay, Jr., Bro. Rolly Dizon of De La Salle University, Lawyer Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Businessman Reggie Tee, a well-known supporter of GM Wesley So, Asia's first GM Eugene Torre and PACE founder GM Jayson Gonzales.

Some of the cash prizes were donated by Agnes Page and Esther Phillips from United Kingdom, who are also the directors of PACE and sisters of GM Jayson Gonzales and Michael John Vargas, president of Spem Barley Essential donated gift pack of his product raffled 60 out of 85 participants.

Also present during the activity were the officers and directors of Philippine Chess Knights (PhilCheck) League who were inducted into office by NCFP Director Bro. Rolly Dizon.

Cantonjos scored 7.5 points out of Nine Rounds Swiss System and took the championship trophy plus a solo richer P 7,000 while FEU’s Vince Angelo Medina and Rulp Ylem Jose grabbed the Top Kiddy and Women category, respectively. Other winners in Master 2150 Category are Christian Arroyo, Ivan Gil Biag, Lyndon Sombilon, NM Alex Milagrosa and Sheider Nebato. Cash prizes, trophies and medals were awarded to the top ten finishers.

Other winners who received cash prizes and medals were TOP WOMAN CATEGORY: Akiko Charmaine Suede, Ronna Reigner Senora and Mikee Charmaine Suede, and TOP KIDDIES CATEGORY; Jerad Docena, Felipe Magdalaga and Paulo Bersamina ; TOP COLLEGIATE PLAYER - Brian Chester Guerrero – TOP HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER - McDominique Lagula, TOP JUNIOR PLAYER- Jeremiah Alfonso, TOP SENIOR PLAYER - NM Eduardo Agagon, TOP 2000 & BELOW PLAYER- James Bulicatin, TOP 1900 & BELOW PLAYER - Robert Cacho, TOP 8 YEAR OLD UNDER BOY - Andrew Sopungco and TOP 8 YEAR OLD UNDER GIRL - Jesca Docena, TOP 10 YEAR OLD UNDER BOY - Danrev Garcia and TOP 10 YEAR OLD UNDER GIRL - Alexis Charlotte Suede, TOP 12 YEAR OLD GIRL - Marie Antoinette San Diego. Chief Arbiter IA Gene Poliarco assisted by NA Boyet Tardecilla, Rolly Suarez, FA Meinard Pulido, Hermie Medina and Mario Perez supervised the event.

Chess is beautiful

Faces. Beauty. Chess. All these elements rolled into one, you get life. Ah, a beautiful life at that.

Armed with a top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art camera, Mike L. Castro (a.k.a KAPMIGZ) zoomed in his sharp eyes on the natural beauty of Philippine chess during the staging of the Pichay and Davis Chess Cup in Pasay City last Sunday.

I think I am convinced that Kapmigz has an inborn talent to search for hidden beauty - and reveal it with a touch of passion and artistry.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE L. CASTRO. CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR ENLARGED VIEW

GM So, FM Garcia, Reyes, Bersamina rule Pichay and Davis Cup 2010

Chess Windows Laguna correspondent Anthony Navarro emailed me the list of winners of the Pichay and Davis Chess Cup 2010:

GROUP D / U-12
Champion Paulo Bersamina 6.5 Pts
2nd Daryl Samantila 6.0
3rd Shania Mae Mendoza 5.5
4th Carlo Caranyagan 5.5
5th Stephen Rome Pangilinan 5.5
6th Haince Patrick De Leon 5.0
7th Mervince Yanzon 5.0
8th Juan Carlos Presente 5.0
9th Stephen Miranda 5.0
10th Alexis Osena 5.0 Top Female
11th Jesca Docena 5.0
12th Jasper Marce 5.0

GROUP C U-20
Champion Narquinden Reyes
2nd Mari Joseph Turqueza
3rd Jude Emil Fronda
4th Cris Angelo Medina
5th Antonio Chavez Jr
6th John Ranel Morazo
7th Nelson Mariano III
8th Marie Christian Nazario
9th Sherwin Tiu
10th Romy Pagon

TOP LADY WNM Aices Salvador

GROUP B OPEN
Champion FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia
2nd NM Johnny Habla
3rd Ivan Gil Biag
4th James Balicatin
5th NM Michael Gotel
6th NM Rolando Andador
7th Allan Cantonjos
8th NM Noel Dela Cruz
9th Jose Aquino Jr
10th Roel Abelgas

Top Lady Kate Dimakiling

GROUP A
Champion GM Wesley So
2nd IM Ronald Dableo

Here's a related story from NM Marlon Bernardino:

SUPER GRANDMASTER Wesley So, Fide Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia, reigning RP Boy 12 and under champion Paolo Bersamina and Narquinden Reyes emerged winners in Sunday’s 1st Pichay and Davis Cup chess festival at the Blue Wave Mall along Macapagal Avenue near Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

The 16-year-old So, currently world’s no. 64 with an Elo Fide rating of 2665 defeated GM-elect Ronald Dableo in the finals (2-game match, seven minutes with three seconds increment), 1.5-0.5, to captured the all Master Group A division title and the top purse of P15,000 plus elegant trophy and Nokia Mobile phone in the one-day event hosted by businessman Davis de Leon and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

“I'm really happy to have played well against Ronald (Dableo) in the finals,” said the Bacoor, Cavite whiz kid.

Alex Dinoy acts as the tournament director while International arbiters Willie Abalos, Gene Poliarco and Erwin Carag serve as tournament arbiters.

To reach the finals, So bested NM Rudy Ibanez (1.5-0.5) in the round-of-32, FM David Elorta (1.5-0.5) in the round-of-16, IM Oliver Dimakiling (2-1) in the round-of-8 and IM Richard Bitoon (1.5-0.5) in the round-of-4, respectively.

So failed to continue his winning streak when he bowed to Pocket Fritz 4, engine High Arc 13 (0.5-1.5) in their 2- games exhibition chess match. If So beat the said chess engine, he can get a bonus worth $100 US Dollar courtesy of long-time chess patron and computer expert Reginald “Reggie” Tee.

No less than NCFP president/ chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., NCFP vice president for Visayas Bro. Rolly Dizon and La Salle Greenhills chess program manager Vic Lahoz led the opening rites.

In the 12-year-old and below (kiddies division), Bersamina, the top player of Pasay City defeated Juan Carlos Presente of Caloocan City to captured his third straight kiddy title plus champion’s purse of P4,000. Bersamina finished 6.5 points in seven outings.

He also topped the Baguio kiddie chess last March 6 and Makati Kiddie chess last March 13.

In the Open Group B division, Garcia, the top player of Ateneo de Manila University subdued journeyman Roel Abelgas to finished 6 points and went home P7,000.

Reyes, the pride of College of St. Benilde, on the other hand dominates the 20-year-old and below (junior division) with 6.5 points to pockets top prize of P4,000.

The trio (Bersamina, Garcia and Reyes) also received elegant trophies plus Nokia Mobile Phone courtesy of De Leon and Pichay.

The four division categories attracted by a total of 300 wood pushers in the event backed up by Blue Wave Mall.

Pichay & Davis Cup 2010 Chess Festival winners

I left the venue of the Pichay & Davis Cup 2010 Chess Festival before the awarding ceremonies yesterday, so I don't have the complete and official results yet of the top finishers.

But I think the photos below, courtesy of Mike L. Castro (a.k.a KAPMIGZ), a staunch supporter of Philippine chess, would already tell us who the victors are of the tournament.

(NOTE: More photos to come - beautiful photos at that - courtesy of the newly born artist Kapmigz!!)

PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR ENLARGED VIEW

Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence (PACE) formally launched

NATIONAL CHESS FEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. led the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday to formally open the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence (PACE) in Mindanao Ave. Quezon City. Joining Pichay were Atty. Koko Pimentel, NCFP vice president for Visayas Bro. Rolly Dizon, PACE founding president GM Jayson Gonzales, and PACE founding chairman Asia's First GM Eugene Torre. Pichay is also chairman emeritus of the newly-formed Philippine Chess Knights League (PhilCheK). CAPTION BY MARLON BERNARDINO

RP's TOP WOODPUSHERS IN PICHAY-DAVIS CHESS CUP

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

The country's top woodpushers get another chance to show their wares when the Pichay and Davis Cup chess festival gets underway Sunday, March 28 at the Blue Wave Mall along Macapagal Avenue near Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Super Grandmaster Wesley So and 12-time national open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. head the list of cast in the one-day event organized and hosted by Davis de Leon and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. \The cash-rich event offers a total pot prize of P100,000 in four categories. Tournament director is Alex Dinoy.

Joining So and Antonio in the all-Master Invitational Group A division knockout system format are fellow GMs Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, Mark Paragua and Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor, the 2010 PSC Expo Rapid chess ruler.

Not to be outdone are GM-elect Ronald Dableo, International Masters (IMs) Barlo Nadera, Roland Nolte and Emmanuel Senador, who is fresh from winning the 2010 Candon City Open chess championships at the Stern Mall in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.

The Group B will be an Open category, Group C will be an under-20 tournament while Group D will be for players 12- years old and below using a seven round Swiss-system format.

The Benoni

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 26 March 2010)

Many years ago there was this very thick book written by Stefan Zweig entitled Benoni: Son of Sorrow which contained detailed analysis on the Modern Benoni Defense. This was also available as a Cacho Hermanos reprint and so I am sure that many of our readers have an old copy of it. Do you know why it is called "Son of Sorrow"?

Some sources claim that it originated from the perceived weakness of the backward pawn on d6. In Chess Opening Essentials it was explained that a Jewish scholar named Aaron Reinganum suffered from depression and sought relief at the chessboard, which resulted in a published analysis of this defense. When published the title alluded to his sad period of study with the words ben-oni and thus the name.

The eminent chess historian Edward Winter has brought to light some evidence that all of the above is nonsense and there was actually a player named Benoni. Here is the passage in his Chess Notes:

Modern books record that the word Benoni comes from the Hebrew for "child/son of (my) sorrow/sadness."

Page 318 of The Chess-Player’s Companion by Staunton implied that Benoni had been somebody’s name: ‘M. St. Amant derived this somewhat bizarre defense from Benoni. (Benoni, oder [die] Vertheidigungen [gegen] die Gambitzüge im Schache, etc. Von Aaron Reinganum, Frankfort, 1825)’ was the note after 1 d4 c5 2 d5 f5. R. Rey Ardid was even more specific (about 1 d4 c5) on page 22 of Cien nuevas partidas de ajedrez (Saragossa, 1940): ‘An old, audacious defense which comes from the English player Benoni (1825)’. Presenting the game Petrosian v Schmid in his book L’intuition à l’affût, A. O’Kelly noted the Hebrew meaning but claimed that around the 1830s there were two brothers named Benoni who had regularly played the opening. O’Kelly further remarked that during a visit to South Africa he had been surprised to find a town named Benoni in the Johannesburg area. We add that there is also a place called Benoni in Malaysia.

Enough said about the name! Let us now look at the moves. The Modern Benoni usually begins after the sequence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 or 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6. The Modern Benoni is a risky attempt by Black to unbalance the position and gain active piece play, at the cost of allowing White a pawn wedge at d5 and a central majority.

Compared to the usual lines of the King’s Indian Defense, Black’s dark-squared bishop is far more active as it is not blocked by a black pawn on e5. However, not having the pawn on e5 makes White’s center more fluid; and some of the sharpest ideas for White are based on a central breakthrough with e5. The Modern Benoni is a very involved struggle between White and Black forces and is one of the most risky defenses to 1.d4.

Black players should probably avoid using the Benoni against a computer, but it could be an ideal weapon versus a human if you intend to go for a win or even if you just want to have fun over the board.

From the European Individual Chess Championship held in Rijeka, Croatia, I bring you some of the Benoni battles fought over the chessboard.

Medvegy, Zoltan (2556) – Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2661) [A62]
11th EICC Men Rijeka CRO (2), 07.03.2010
REQUIRES JAVA

Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (born Aug. 1, 1976) is the highest-ranked Romanian player ever. He is noted for his risky a’la Mikhail Tal attacking style. In 1999, Nisipeanu, then a complete unknown, shocked the chess world by making it to the semifinals of the FIDE World Chess Championship by beating Vasily Ivanchuk in round 4 and Alexei Shirov in the quarterfinals only to succumb to the eventual champion Alexander Khalifman.






***

Moiseenko, Alexander (2668) – Lupulescu, Constantin (2598) [A61]
11th EICC Men Rijeka CRO (4), 09.03.2010
REQUIRES JAVA

GM Lupulescu is 25 years old and the current Romanian chess champion.





Remember, he who dares, wins.

Rachel Pascua

We're still in March, the women's month. Let me put on spotlight the lone woman who has so far been the only Pinay who won a medal for the Philippines in the Chess Olympiad.

Also, please lend me your understanding for my survey about the outcome of the Battle of Grandmasters 2010 Women's Division, which was postponed to later date. I can no longer stop the survey since votes were already cast. But still, it's a poll worth a talk.

Okay, back to the main menu. Of the 13 appearances of the women's Philippine Team in the Chess Olympiad, our heroines have succeeded to bring home a bronze medal so far, courtesy of Rachel Pascua.

Whether Rachel Pascua is related to Haridas Pascua, I don't know. The only thing I'm sure about is that only she has reaped a medal from the world's ultimate team chess competition since the Women RP Team's first appearance in the competition in 1976.

That precious bronze medal was won during the Women RP Team's seventh apperance in the Olympiad in 1996 in Yerevan, Armenia when they placed 44th overall. By the way, their best finish (No.16) was during their maiden appearance in 1976. Their worst final ranking (No.64) was in 2002.

There was a story that Rachel learned chess at the age of 12. Then, just after a year, she already made it to the Philippine Team!!

In honor of the woman who made the Philippines proud in the world of chess in 1996, I am posting here the games of Rachel Pascua that won for the country a precious Chess Olympiad bronze medal.

The games of Rachel Pascua (Chess Olympiad 1996, Yerevan, Armenia)
REQUIRES JAVA

GM Wesley So graduation photos

Congratulations to GM Wesley So for earning his high school diploma at St. Francis of Assisi in Bacoor, Cavite.

At the the very young age of 16, Wesley has already reaped international honors for the Philippines - and he did it while attending to his academic requirements at the same time. A truly heroic and inspiring feat for the young generation to emulate.

May Wesley continue to be a shining inspiration for the youth. March on, young hero!!


PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR ENLARGED VIEW (Photos courtesy of Mrs. Leny So and Barangay Wesley member KIDLAT)