2ND CONG. UNGAB CUP MIXED-MASTERS UPDATE: ZALDY TABANAO TOPS TORIL QUALIFIERS

(Toril qualifiers Arbiter Nofre Reyes assited by Lito Laput )




( Caissa's father vs. lone female participant May Micayabas )


( Championship round: Erwin Tubog vs. A.J Literatus won by A.J. On 2nd board ( with watch ) is Zaldy Tabanao vs. Neptali Batucan won by Zaldy ).


Zaldy Tabanao, a former varsity player of chess titan Southwestern University of Cebu but now a resident of Toril, Davao City, topped the 2nd. Cong. Ungab Cup " King of 64 Squares Mixed- Master Tournament" Toril Qualifiers via tie-break over 2009 Shell Active Kiddies champ Austin Jacob Literatus which was held over the week-end at the Toril Chess Plaza. Both scored 4.5 pts in 5 rounds. John Ray Batucan scored 4 pts. to bag 3rd place. The top three placers received cash prizes courtesy of Guevarra Law Office. More than 20 players participated in the qualifiers, ten of whom qualified for the main tournament scheduled on Oct. 3 and 4, 2009 at the Don Juan Central Elem. School covered court. The rest of the qualifiers are as follows:

1. Zaldy Tabanao - 4.5 pts.
2. Austin Jacob Literatus - 4.5
3. John Ray Batucan - 4.0
4. Erwin Tubog - 3.5
5. Neptali Batucan - 3.0
6. Raul Valle - 3.0
7. Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. - 3.0
8.Adrian Llanos - 3.0
9.Henry Fajardo - 3.0
10. Nestor Ngo - 2.5

The Calinan Chess Club, on the other hand, had previously held their qualifiers and the following players qualified:

1.Jehan Salimbagat
2.Pedro Flores
3.Mary Israel Palero
4.Gerson Omblero
5.Ian Royce Lumandas
6.Ronald Sampiano
7.Leo Angelo Canaleja
8.Jose Yparraguirre

Players who are qualified to play by virtue of title and 2000 and above NCFP rating:

1. NM Alex LUpian
2.NM Elwin Retanal
3. NM Cedric Magno
4.CM Henry Lopez
5.CM Jimmy Dano
6.Sammy Yu
7.Peter Tidoy
8. James Infiesto
9. VIncent Umayan
10. Nofre Reyes
11. Lito Laput
12. Reynaldo " Bembem " Quinonez
13. Perkins Bayron
14. Arnel Aton
15.Dharim Bacus

Organizer's Choice:

( seasoned players lacking title and high rating )

1. Engr. Jun Atmosfera
2. Cris Yap
3. Anthony Mosqueda
4. Shaun Bacalanmo
5.May Micayabas
6. Cerilo " Bata " Enobio
7. Ali Jover
8. Engr. Oscar Barriga
9. Mario Lucero
10. Carlos Velarde
11. Werner Priete
12. Gerald Cavan
13. Jerwel Andoy ( 2009 Kadayawan Open champ )
14. Engr. Allan Diez
15. Atty. Bernie Cataluna
16. Adrian Dimakiling

PRIZES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

CHAMPION - P 10,000.00 + CONG. UNGAB CUP
1ST RUNNER-UP - 6,000.00 + TROPHY
2ND RUNNER-UP - 4,000.00 + TROPHY
3RD RUNNER-UP 2,000.00
4TH RUNNER-UP 1,0000.00

REGISTRATION FEE;

NATIONAL MASTER - FREE
NON MASTER - P 100.00
PLAYERS WITH CHESS CLOCK IN GOOD CONDITION - P 80.00

DEADLINE OF REGISTRATION: OCT. 3,2009 10:00 A.M

PLAYING TIME:

OCT. 3, 2000 ( SATURDAY) - DAY 1
3 ROUNDS- 30 MIN./PLAYER

OCT. 4, 2009 ( SUNDAY ) - DAY 2
4 ROUNDS ( TO START AT 9:00 A.M )
45 MIN./player

The tournament is sponsored by CONG. ISIDRO ROY UNGAB, 3RD District, Davao City
In coordination with Chess Excellence Ltd. Co., Metro Toril Chess Association and CAISSA'S FATHER Chess BLog @ http//:metrolirot.blogspot.com

1ST ROBERT " BOB " BULA TORIL INVITATIONAL CHESS CHALLENGE - " SHARING OWN'S BLESSINGS THROUGH CHESS "

( Bob Bula beside his car at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA )


[ Bob Bula ( holding his grandchild ) with his family at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA ]


( With Davao chess players, from left: Engr. Jun Atmosfera, Dante dela Cruz, Bador Borras, Engr. Boy Ramirez, Bob Bula, Henry Fajardo, Jun Sonsona and host Glenn Paclar during get together at GLenn's rest house. Not in picture is Caissa's father and Chris Yap of One Network Bank who arrived after this picture was taken ).

I first met Bob Bula last January 10, 2009 during a get together of Davao chess players ( mostly from Toril ) hosted by Glenn Paclar at his rest house at Eden, Bayabas, Toril, Davao City. Prior to our meeting, I already heard from chess player friends his utmost devotion and love for chess. During the past years he had sponsored and supported local chess tournaments, the most recent of which was the Kadayawan Open and Age-group competitions where he provided special prizes. He had also financed the campaign of some local chessplayers notably Jimmy Dano who had a couple of wins against noted GMs Mark Paragua and Joey Antonio. Others received chess books and Chess Life magazines from him.

With this backdrop I was able to talk to Bob and I found out that he was an amiable and down to earth guy. I was even suprised upon being told that he eagerly followed our team tournament last year through the internet. We were lucky then as the said tournament was prominently featured in the local newspaper Sunstar Davao. That is how passionate he is for chess and considering that we shared the same passion, we easily got acquianted to each other.

Just recently, our common friend Engr. Jun Atmosfera informed me that he had a series of talk with Bob through the Internet and that Bob will be sponsoring our next tournament. Thus the 1st Robert " Bob " Bula Toril Invitational Chess Challenge. The tournament will be a 14 players round-robin competition with a time limit of 45 min./player. Games will be played during the week-ends starting Oct. 16 to 31, 2009. Venue will be the Guevarra Law Office and Glenn Paclar's resthouse.The tournament aims to develop and sharpen the skills of the Toril young stars who will be pitted against veteran players from Davao City.

The prizes are as follows:

CHAMPION - P 5,000.00 + TROPHY
1ST RUNNER-UP - 3,000.00 + TROPHY
2ND RUNNER-UP - 2,000.00 + TROPHY
4TH RUNNER-UP - 1,000.00 + MEDAL

Here's a salute to Bob Bula and may your tribe increase !!

3rd round of the SPICE CUP - " A MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN A PAWN ENDING ".

(GM WESLEY SO VS. VARUZHAN AKOBIAN OF THE USA IN ROUND 3 OF THE SPICE CUP )


Who said that pawn endings are simple? Not me or GM Wesley So. GM So missed a chance to nail his 1st win in the ongoing SPICE Cup by failing to solve a problem-like pawn ending in his 3rdd round game against GM Akobian of the USA.


Below is the game with analysis by NM Glenn Bordonada with some notes/kibitz by GM Wesley So himself. ( First posted at GM So's page at chessgames. com ).


GM Wesley So: Hello everyone,thanks for keeping track and studying my games.In my game today,I actually had good winning chances (probably win) if 32.Ke3 was played(instead of 32.h4?).Anyway,I would like to ask a favor if you can study my games and tell me what is my weakness or what I need to improve etc.Thank you very much to everyone :)


NM Glenn Bordonada: The endgame which, as Wesley pointed out earlier, he could have won is indeed very instructive. I expanded some of his lines to make it easier to understand below.

[Event "SPICE Cup 2009"]
[Site "Lubbock"]
[Date "2009.09.21"]
[Round "3"]
[White "So, Wesley"]
[Black "Akobian, Varuzhan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2636"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Source "MonRoi"]
[TimeControl "5 min/game"]
[WhiteElo "2644"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. Bf3 O-O 12. c3 Qc7 13. Bh4 Bd6 14. g3 Bd7 15. Qb3 Rab8 16. Nb5 Bxb5 17. Qxb5 h6 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Rad1 Rfd8 20. Rd3 a6 21. Qa4 Bc5 22. Rfd1 Rxd3 23. Rxd3 Rd8 24. Qg4+ Kf8 25. Qf4 Qb6 26. Rxd8+ Qxd8 27. Bxb7 Qb6 28. Be4



Possibly stronger is 28. b4 Bxf2+ 29. Qxf2 Qxb7 30. Qxf6 and White is a clean pawn up and has a potential passed pawn pair in the Queenside.

28... f5?


Best is 28... Qxb2 29. Qxf6 Kg8 and Black has sufficient counterplay.

29. b4 Bxf2+ 30. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 31. Kxf2 fxe4



32. h4?!

GM Wesley So: Btw,if anyone would like to look ay my fascinating king and pawn endgame today against Akobian,here is the computer's analysis: 32.Ke3 (instead of 32.h4?)32...f5 33.g4! Ke7 34.a4 Kd6 35.c4 Kc6 (35...Ke5 36.b5! f4 37.Ke2 Kd4 38.b6 f3 39.Ke1 ) 36.a5 Kd6 37.b5 Kc7 38.b6 Kc6 39.Kf4 Kb7 40.h3 Kc6 41.Kg3!!(31.h4 e3! 42.Kxe3 fxg4 allows Black to draw) 41...Kb7 42.h4 followed by g4-g5. This was all given by Rybka 3 and I missed the very instructive Ke3-f4-g3 manoever over the board.

NM GLenn Bordonada: The advance of the h-pawn throws away the win. After the game, Wesley found he could have won with:

(Start of long analysis of the winning process)

32. Ke3! f5 33. g4!


An important move as will be seen later.


33... Ke7 34. a4 Kd6 35. c4 Ke5 36. b5 axb5 37. cxb5


The more distant the passed pawn, the better for White.

37... Kd5


There are two alternatives, both of which lose:


a) 37... f4+ 38. Ke2 Kd4 (38... Kd5 39. h4 Kc5 40. g5 and one of the White pawns will queen.) 39. b6 f3+ 40. Ke1 e3 41. b7 Kd3 42. b8=Q f2+ 43. Kf1

White's King and Queen can stop the pawns from further advancing.


b) 37... fxg4 38. b6 Kd6 39. Kxe4 h5 40. Kf4! It is crucial for White's King to prevent Black from pushing his h-pawn. (For example, 40. a5? h4! 41. a6 Kc6 42. a7 Kb7 43. Kf4 g3 44. hxg3 h3 45. Kf3 e5 and it is Black who wins!) 40... e5+ (If 40... Kc6 41. a5 Kb7 42. Kg5 and White wins by harvesting Black's pawns starting with the h-pawn.) 41. Kf5

Black is in zugzwang and must part with his pawns. Back to the main variation after 37... Kd5.


38. a5 Kc5 39. a6


White tries to create passed pawns which are as far apart from each other.


39... Kb6


Black will try to draw by shuffling his King on the squares a7-b6 and wait for White to make progress. White will try to win by creating a second passed pawn.


40. Kf4!


Necessary as will soon be evident.


40... Ka7 41. Kg3!


An important move without which the win is not possible. The immediate h-pawn advance throws away the win: 41. h4? e3! 42. Kxe3 fxg4 43. Kf4 h5=.


41... Kb6 42. h4


Threatening to create a second passed pawn which will decide the game.

42... e3 43. g5


Not 43. gxf5? exf5 44. Kf3 f4! and the game is a draw as both Kings are checked by the pawn pairs.


The endgame is winning for White. The Black King cannot stop one of the pawns from queening. On the other hand, White can hold Black's three pawns in the center. Black's King has no time to help the pawns.

(End of long analysis)

Back to the game:

32... f5 33. h5 Ke7 34. Ke3 e5 35. c4 Kd6 36. a3 Kc6 37. Kd2 Kb6 38. Kc3 a5 39. Kd2 axb4 40. axb4 Kc6 41. Ke3 1/2-1/2





Sep-22-09 fab11mt: Thank you Master Glenn!!

SPICE CUP 1ST ROUND UPDATE: RP'S GM SO HALVE THE POINT WITH UKRAINE'S GM KUZUBOV

( GM So vs. GM Kuzobov in 1st round action of the SPICE CUP )
Photo and result first posted at Susan Polgar's chess blog.

A group

GM Akobian 1/2 GM Mamedov
GM Andreikin 1/2 GM Hammer
GM So 1/2 GM Kuzubov

B group

GM Bhat 1/2 IM Kuljasevic
IM Finegold 1-0 IM Ippolito
IM Robson 1/2 GM Perelshteyn
IM Papp 1/2 FM Rensch
IM Antal 1-0 GM Diamant

NM ERWIN RETANAL TOPS DAVAO DEL SUR OPEN '2009

( NM Retanal, wearing red shirt w/ hat, pondering his move during the Kadayawan Open ).


NM Erwin Retanal of Malita topped the Davao del Sur Open- Mayor Arsenio Latasa Mix-Masters held on Sept. 7 & 8, 2009 at Dagohoy Hall, Lim St., Digos City, scoring 6.5 pts. in 7 rounds. He was awarded the Champion's trophy and cash price of P 6,000.00 Jimmy Dano of Digos City also scored 6.5 pts. but only placed 2nd due to inferior tie break. He received P 4,000.00 + trophy. In the KIDDIES DIVISION - 12 yrs old & below, John Raymund Vistal emerged as champion with a perfect score of 4pts in 4 rounds winning the cash price of P 1,000 w/trophy.


MAYOR ARSENIO LATASA MIX-MASTERS
(Davao del Sur Open Chess Championship 2009)
September 7-8, 2009
Dagohoy Hall, Lim St., Digos City


OPEN DIVISION
(7 rounds)

1. Retanal, Elwin - 6.5 pts.

2. Dano, Jimmy - 6.5 pts.

3-8. Lofranco, Venanie - 5 pts.
Melendes, Charles
Babayson, Abelardo
Laput, Lito
Lanticse, nelson
Castro, Bernard

9-10. Velarde, Carlos - 4.5 pts.
Abayon, Neill

Total of 43 players.


Brilliancy Prize Award - Lito Laput


Prizes are the following:

Champion - P 6,000 w/trophy
2nd - P 4,000 w/trophy
3rd - P 3,000 w/trophy
4th - P 2,000 w/trophy
5th - P 1,000 w/trophy
Brilliancy Prize Award - P 500 w/trophy


KIDDIES DIVISION - 12 yrs old & below
(4 rounds)

1. Vistal, John Raymund - 4pts. (P 1,000 w/trophy)

2. Dulay, Arnel - 3.5pts. (P 500 w/trophy)

3. Lakina, Angelo - 3.5pts. ( P 300 w/trophy)

Total of 22 players.

( As e-mailed by Neill Abayon ).

SELECTED GAMES FROM THE KADAYAWAN OPEN

[NM Erwin Retanal(with red t-shirt and hat) pondering his next move against Anthony Mosqueda ].


This game was the biggest upset of the Kadaywan Open and arguably the best game.

Playing the black pieces was NM Elwin Retanal. NM Retanal may be considered as a veteral National Master although only 30 years old and scored upset triumphs over RP's big names the likes of Grand Master Mark Paragua, GM Darwin Laylo, GM elect Ronald Dableo and GM candidate Roland Salvador. He played board 2 for the Philippine team in the World Under-16 Chess Olympian and won a silver medal in the process. He also represented the Philippines in the Asian Junior Chess Championship in Jaipur, India where he finished 10th. He also ruled the 2008 Malaysia Challenger Open in Midvalley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Playing the white pieces is 17 years old Anthony Mosqueda of Metro Toril Chess club. He is one of the promising junior players of Davao City and a member of the University of Mindanao (UM) varsity team.

[Event: 2009 KADAYAWAN OPEN]
[Site: 5th Floor, GAISANO ILUSTRE]
[Date: 2009.8.29]
[Round 3]
[White: ANTHONY MOSQUEDA]
[Black: NM ELWIN RETANAL]
[Result: 1-0]
[WhiteELO: 1700]
[BlackELO 2198]

KING'S INDIAN ATTACK

( Annotated by CAISSA'S FATHER )


1. e4 e6 2. d3 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6

5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. Nbd2 d6



This is the starting position of the King's Indian Attack vs. the Sicilian System. White has 2 main continuations, 8. c3 to prepare the push d4 and 8. Re1 to prepare the push e5. In their book " Modern King's Indian Attack- A complete System for White ", the Authors SM John Hall and Jan R. Cartier prefers the move 8. c3 as it does not only prepare the push d4 but it also limit the scope of Black's dark colored bishop.


8.Nb3!?

G.M Vassily Smyslov essayed the mainline 8. c3 against G.M Mikhail M. Botvinnik in the 23rd game of their 1954 World Championship match held at Vienna, Austria. The game continued 8.c3 0-0 ( by transposition)9.a4 f5 10.Qb3 d5 11.exd5 exd5 12.Re1 f4 13.Nf1 Bg4 14.gxf4 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Kh8 16.Bd2 Bh6 17.Re6 Bxf4 18.Rae1 Bxd2 19.Nxd2 Nf5 20.Bg2 Nh4 21. Qxd5 Nxg2 22.Qxg2 Qxd3 23.Ne4 Rf5 24.Nd6 Rf3 25.Nxb7 Raf8 26.Nxc5 Qf5 27.Re8 Kg8 28.Rxf8+ 1-0

The move 8. Nb3 in preparation for the pawn push c3-d4 was played a number of times in the 1960's by GM Georgi P. Tringov of Bulgaria and he was quite successful with this line.

8...a5 9. a4 O-O 10. c3 e5

11. d4 b6 12. Be3 Qc7 13. Qd2 Rd8?



I would say that this move started Black's downfall. The rook is needed to defend BLack's kingside and to support the counter- thrust f5. Much better is 13...Ra7 to avoid White's menacing Bishop at g2. The rook can then be transferred to the kingside to further defend Black's King and to support its counter-attack.

14. d5! Nb8 15. Bh6 Bh8 16. Ng5!



Suddenly White's threat of a kingside attack with 17.f4 seems unstoppable as Black's kingside is inadequately protected.

16...Bg7? 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. f4 f6 19. fxe5!



19...dxe5

If 19...fxg5 20.e6! And Black is in a virtual zugzwang.

Position after 19...dxe5


20. Rxf6!!

This rook sacrifice delivers the final blow against Black's position. The rest is a matter of technique, as the masters would often say.


20...Kxf6 21.Rf1+ Kg7 22. Rf7+ Kg8 23. Qf2 Bf5 24. exf5 Qd6

25. fxg6 Nxg6 26. Ne4 Qf8 27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Nf6+ Kh8 29. Qf5 Ra7

30. Qe6 Raf7 31. Ne4 Nd7 32. Nbd2 Re7 33.Qc6 Ref7 34. Nf3 Nf6

35. Nfg5 Nxe4 36. Nxf7+ Rxf7 37. Bxe4 1-0

Final position

Replay the complete game below.

ZALDY TABANAO AND THE U.M BOYS - " CHESS, LIKE BEER AND MUSIC MAKES A MAN HAPPY "

( Bogser's Coffehouse and Bar at Central Park, Bangkal, Davao City )


Last Saturday August 29, 2009 I played at the Kadayawan Open together with my new friend Zaldy Tabanao. Zaldy is a folk singer by profession but mind you, he is a mean chess player. He is a former varsity player of Southwestern University (SWU) of Cebu. In 1988 I played board 2 for the University of Mindanao during the National UAAP and our team played against Southwestern. Our team got wiped-out 4-0 by SWU composed of IM Enrico Sevillano, NM ( but now IM) Barlo Nadera, Arnel Ranile and Cabebel ( I forgot his first name ).

Due to the sheer number of players considering that the registration was free, the third round was played at almost 7 p.m. Zaldy was not able to play the 3rd round due to his work at Bogser's Coffeehouse and Bar where he is the resident folk/acoustic singer. The third round was finished at almost 8 p.m and I decided to invite my former UM chess buddies to visit Zaldy at Bogser's and unwind after a day's battle over the 64 square board. It was my first time to visit Bogser's and I enjoyed the place. The beers are ice cold, the pulutans are tasty and the price is quite reasonable. If you have time, drop by to their place and you will not regret it.


( Zaldy Tabanao the singer rendering some folk and 80's tunes )


( Inside Bogser's Bar )


( Me and my chess buddies Vincent Umayan, Lito Laput and Nofre Reyes )


( U.M boys with Ali Baba the driver ).