THANKS GOD. THIS CHESSBLOG IS ONE YEAR OLD TODAY!

One year ago,I discussed an idea with my chess friends Nofre Reyes and Atty. Allan Cabitin ( now a Prosecutor ) to create a chess website bearing the name of our group Chess Excellence Ltd. Co., where we can post local tournaments and feature some of our local chess players including their games and ours as well. Nofre contacted another chess friend Edmund Jaugan who is a computer whiz and after a few days he showed to us a sample website. However, there is a site fee to be be paid yearly. There is also no administrator to manage the website and post the news as except for Edmund all of us don't know anything about chess blogging thus the chess website did not materialized.

One thing lead to another until I decided to put-up my own chess blog. First, I googled the question, " How to create a blog ? ". Then I followed the step by step instruction of BLOGGER. From time to time I tinker with my blog and research the internet until I was able to improve its features. Now I know how to put pictures, videos, chess diagrams and PGN replayer in the blog. I know that this blog is still a long way as compared to those established chess blogs but a year ago it seems to be just an impossible dream..

My inspiration:

( CAISSA JANE - 10 years old, to whom this blog is name after ).

( FLORENCE FAITH- 8 years old

My two kids won the bronze in their respective age category in the recent age-group chess competition held last December here in Davao City. They were also first honors in their class last year resulting to their being scholars this year thus making me doubly proud.


[ Meeting a new friend in the person of Koyodenzo ( w/eye glass) who is the web master/creator of the GM Wesley So website. Others in photo are regular contributors Nofre Reyes and Engr. Jun Atmosfera Jr. ].


In its one year of existence, I met new friends and made some of my chess friends happy ( especially those featured in this blog. he.he.). It also somehow fulfilled my high school dream of becoming a journalist ( almost.he.he.)

To all those who one way or another contributed in the growth of this blog, thank you and keep on pushing that pawn! Indeed, Chess, like love and music makes a man happy..

Mayor Duterte ug Inday Sara Araw ng Dabaw Chess Tournament

Gaisano South Citimall (Illustre St., Davao City), 10:00 AM


I. Age Group Category March 14 & 21, 2010
II Open Division
March 27 & 28, 2010


I. AGE-GROUP DIVISION


IA. 8 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P200.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P150.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P100.00 + Bronze Medal

IB. 10 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P300.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P200.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P150.00 + Bronze Medal

IC. 12 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P400.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P300.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P200.00 + Bronze Medal

ID. 14 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P500.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P350.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P250.00 + Bronze Medal

IE. 16 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P700.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P400.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P300.00 + Bronze Medal

IF. 18 years old and below (Girls and Boys Categories)

Champion P1,000.00 + Gold Medal
1st Runner-up P 700.00 + Silver Medal
2nd Runner-up P 500.00 + Bronze Medal


IIA. Open Division – Open to all titled and non-titled players

Champion P5, 000.00 + Trophy
1st Runner-Up P2, 500.00 + Medal
2nd Runner-Up P1, 500.00 + Medal
3rd Runner-Up P 750.00 + Medal
4th Runner-Up P 750.00 + Medal



*Best Elementary Student: Boys and Girls Categories (2x)

* Best High School Student: Boys and Girls Categories (2x)

* Best College Student: Boys and Girls Categories (2x)

*Best Female (1x)

*Top Executive (1x)

*Top Employee (1x)

*Top Senior (1x)

Note: FREE Registration! Please register at Sports Development Division-City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO), Tel.no. (082) 2278074.

Please bring your own chessclocks and chess sets.

This tournament is organized by City Mayor's Office and supervised by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP)Region XI .

My best game at the Bob Bula Invitational

The 1st Robert " Bob " Bula Invitational Chess Challenge was held from October 16 to October 31, 2010. Games were played on weekends only at the Guevarra law Office at De Guzman St., Toril, Davao City while the last round was played at Glen Paclar's rest house at Eden, Toril, Davao City. The event was a 14 players round robin among Toril's best chess players plus invited players of Davao region. I had a rather disappointing tournament scoring just 6 points in 13 rounds. My only consolation was that I was able to win a miniature game against John Ray Batucan, one of Davao's new chess sensation.

( John Ray Batucan in action at the 2008 World Youth in Vietnam )

Here are some of John Ray Batucan's chess resume:

Champion - 2008 National Age Group 12 years and under- boys
Champion - 9th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship 2008,
12 years and under- boys held at Danang, Vietnam
Philippine Representative - World Age Group Tourney
12 yrs. and under- boys held atVung Tau, Vietnam where he
rank 24 out of more than 80 participants.


There were even reports that John Ray was awarded the FIDE Master title by virtue of his winning the 2008 ASEAN Youth 12 and under category in Vietnam but the same was not officially confirmed. Together with another 12 year old prodigy, Austin Jacob Literatus, the two had been slowly emerging as the new stars of Davao chess beating some noted National masters/players of Southern Mindanao in the process.

I had a 2-2 lifetime score against John Ray prior to this game. I knew that he always play the French defense against 1. e4 as both of my wins against him were on the white side of a French advance variation. I decided to play another line to surprise him. Incidentally, John Ray landed 5th in this tournament scoring 8.5 points.

[Site "Toril, Davao City, Philippines"]
[Date " October 18,2009"]
[Round "3rd"]
[White "Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr."]
[Black "John Ray Batucan"]
[White NCFP "1900"]
[Black NCFP "1915"


French Defense Tarrash variation


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2!?

No advance variation this time.

3...Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ngf3!?



Normal is 7. Ne2. I was trying to lure John Ray to the dangerous
Korchnoi Gambit which follows after 7...Qb6 8. 0-0. According to
GM Wolfgang Uhlmann in his book "Winning with the French ", Black's
safest course is probably to decline by 8...g6!? 9.Re1 Bg7 10.dxc5 Qc7!
Gipslis- Gleizerov, Alushta 1993).

7...Be7 8.O-O O-O 9. Re1 f6 10. c4 cxd4 11. cxd5 exd5
12. exf6 Bxf6 13. Nb3 Nb6 14. Bf4 Nc4



It seems that my opening experiment backfired as I am now slowly put on the defensive which unfortunately, I am not good at.

15. Qb1 h6 16. Nc5 Be7!?



I completely miss this move when I played 16. Nc5. John Ray was smiling after making his move probably thinking, " Got You "! Now, two of my pieces are simultaneously attacked and there seems no way to save my game. But wait!


17. Bxh6!

The only move in order to complicate the game and create
counter-play. However, it is doubtful if White can save the
game with correct play from black.

17... Bxc5?



This is a blunder which caused black the game. Maybe John Ray
underestimated my attacking prowess. he.he. Best it seems is
17...gh6 18.Bc4! ( with the threat of 19.Qg6+ ) 18... Rf6! and
it seems that black is okay.

18. Bh7+!
It seems that my opponent did not consider this move in his analysis.
The Queen can now reinforce in the kingside with tempo.

18... Kh8 19. Bxg7+ !!
A clearance sacrifice paving the way for white's queen to join the
fray with check.

Kxg7 20. Qg6+ Kh8 21. Qh6!



In a span of 4 moves our fortunes had suddenly changed. I am
now the one smiling while John Ray is now scratching his head.
Black is simply lost.

21... Qc7 22. Be4+! Kg8 23. Bxd5+ Be6 24. Bxe6+ Rf7
25. Ng5 N4e5 26.Bxf7+ Nxf7 27. Qg6+ Kf8 28. Nh7 checkmate.
1-0

Ahh!! Playing chess really feels good specially if you win games like this..


You can replay the entire game by using the game replayer below.

WORLD CHAMP VISHY ANAND'S FOND MEMORIES OF THE PHILIPPINES

( GM Vladimir Kramnik vs. GM Viswanathan Anand in their World Championship Match )



My chess buddie Chris Yap of One Network Bank just gave me a chess book which he bought from the National Bookstore entitled " Vishy Anand's Best Games of Chess ". A perusal of the book's pages would reveal GM Anand's fond memories of the Philippines.

In the introduction, he said that he went to Manila when his father had an assignment there and got caught up in the chess fever resulting from the 1978 Karpov-Korchnoi match.

He also won the World Junior crown in 1987 at Baguio City in his 4th attempt paving the way for him to become a Grandmaster. He also qualified for the Candidate matches for the first time during the 1990 Manila Interzonals. GM Anand said that he enjoyed playing in the Chess Olympiads and that Dubai 1986 and Manila 1992 were his favorites, in both cases the organizers went all-out to make the players feel comfortable.

He also made mention of playing in an International Open in Manila prior to the Manila Interzonals. My recollection indicate that it was the 1990 Far East Bank International and that it was IM Ricardo de Guzman who was his last round opponent and the game ended in a draw. That game has a vivid place in my memory due to an amusing incident that transpired during the game which was played up in the sports section of the major dailies in the Philippines during that time.

( IM De Guzman as a chess tutor in the U.S )


I tried retrieving a PGN of that game via the Internet and Chess data base but I could not find one. Luckily, I was able to talk to another chess buddie Engr. Jun Atmosfera who promised to look for the game among his vast collections of Chess books and chess magazines. The following day he lend me a copy of the Oct.-Dec. 1990 edition of Chess Asia where the complete result of the tournament was posted including the IM De Guzman-GM Anand game.



1990 Far East Bank International
Final Standings:

GM Anand - 9.5 points
GM Djuric - 9.5
GM Torre - 9.0
GM Csom - 8.5
GM Antonio - 8.5
De Guzman - 8.5
Roca - 8.5
GM Knaak - 8.0
Chiong - 8.0
Calvo - 8.0
Donguines - 8.0
Bagamasbad - 8.0
Nadera - 8.0
Latoza - 8.0
Malinao - 8.0


Here's a segment of Chess Asia's report of the said tournament:


For the second straight year, a foreign entry won the prestigious Far East Bank International. Last year, the Chinese players ran away with the major prizes. This year, two foreigners tied for the top two prizes but Viswanathan Anand edged out Stefan Djuric of Yugoslavia with his higher tie-break points.

The Indian clinched the championship when IM Ricardo de Guzman played it safe and drew an advantageous game against the Indian in the last round. As Anand admitted after the game, " He had all the chances, but you can't win without playing on". De GUzman, having seen how easily Anand mowed down the likes of Knaak, Torre, Roca, Garma in the earlier rounds settled for the draw to ensure his prize money.

Next time I will feature the game of IM De Guzman- GM Anand and you be the judge..

DAVAO EXPERIENCE- GUEVARRA LAW TEAM OUTSMARTS DAVAO YOUNGSTARS - CONG. UNGAB TEAM 21.5 - 14.5 IN GRUDGE MATCH

( The Davao Youngstars team )



( The Davao Experience team with team captain and sponsor Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. )


The Davao Experience- Guevarra Law team reigned supreme as it outsmarted the Davao Youngstars- Cong.Ungab team in the one day grudge match held on February 20, 2010. Venue of the match was the Toril Chess Club located at the Toril District Plaza for the 1st 4 rounds and Guevarra Law Office located at De Guzman St., Toril Poblacion, Davao City for the last 2 rounds. Candidate Master Jimmy Dano of Digos City, Davao del Sur emerged as the top scorer for the Experience team by sweeping his 6 matches. Erwin Tubog topscored for the Youngstars team with 4.5 pts in 6 matches.



( The ceremonial move was done by Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. vs. John Ray Batucan as the other participants posed for posterity.)


The Experience team scored heavily in the first 3 rounds and erected a 5 points lead
going to the last 3 rounds. However, the Youngstars proved their resilience and won the 4th round match-up by a convincing 4-2 score. The last 2 rounds were won by the Experience team by an identical score of 4-2 thus the grudge match ended in favor of the Experience team by a score of 21.5 - 14.5.



( Adrian Llanos vs. 2009 Bob Bula Invitational champ Vincent Umayan )


The winning team received a cash price of P 5,000.00 courtesy of Cong. Isidro Ungab of the 3rd District of Davao City c/o Glen Paclar and Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. of the Guevarra Law Office.



( Erwin Tubog vs. Henry Fajardo )



FINAL RESULT

DAVAO EXPERIENCE- GUEVARRA LAW TEAM

1. JIMMY DANO (2131) - 6.0 POINTS
2. VINCENT UMAYAN (2024) - 4.0 "
3. NOFRE REYES (2013) - 4.5
4. LITO LAPUT (2033) - 1.0
5. HENRY FAJARDO (1959) - 3.0
6. ZALDY TABANAO - 3.0
________
21.5 POINTS - TOTAL SCORE


DAVAO YOUNGSTARS - CONG. UNGAB TEAM

1. JOHN RAY BATUCAN (1915) - O.5 POINT
2. NEPTALI BATUCAN JR. - 2.0 "
3.ADRIAN LLANOS - 3.0
4.AUSTIN JACOB LITERATUS - 1.5
5. ANTHONY MOSQUEDA - 3.0
6. ERWIN TUBOG - 4.5
__________
14.5 POINTS - TOTAL SCORE


The experience team was composed of some of the best non-masters of Davao region while the Youngstars team was composed of the new crop of Davao chess stars who are incidentally, residents of Toril District, Davao City.

Although the final score appears to be lopsided, the match was exciting and highly competitive according to event organizer Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. Yet in fact, the Youngstars had been defeating us with regularity in " Ubusan " chess matches hence the grudge match.

One year from now the result would surely be different as the young players continue to gain strenght and maturity in their play according to CM Jimmy Dano who counted GM's Joey Antonio and Mark Paragua as among his victims in tournament play.





( CM Jimmy Dano vs. John Ray Batucan )





( The players together with Dante dela Cruz, Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. and Engr. Jun Atmosfera )


( The Davao Youngstars Team with team Captain Glen Paclar )

GUEVARRA LAW- DAVAO SELECTION VS. CONG. UNGAB- TORIL YOUNGSTARS GRUDGE MATCH SET ON FEBRUARY 20, 2010

The Guevarra Law- Davao Selection vs. Cong. Ungab-Toril Youngstars grudge match had been set on Feb.20, 2010. Venue will be the Toril Chess Club located at the Toril District Plaza, Davao City. The one day match will be a five round Schevenigen system where each of the members of the opposing team will play each other in a round robin competition. The winning team will receive cash prizes courtesy of Guevarra Law Office and Cong. Isidro Ungab of the 3rd District of Davao City.

According to event organizer Aty. Jong Guevarra Jr., the exploits of GM So in the world chess scene has inspired the young players to do their best and paved the way in the discovery and development of new chess talents. It would be now up to the veterans to show that they have still what it takes to hold-off the young gun's onslaught.

THE LINE -UP

GUEVARRA LAW- DAVAO SELECTION:


1. ATTY. JONG GUEVARRA JR. ( wearing black shirt )

Two time University of Mindanao Champion
U.M varsity - 1987-88, 1991-92
bronze ( board 1 ) - 1992 Nat'l PRISSAA Games, Bacolod City
2nd placer- 2008 IBP Eastern Mindanao Palaro
current NCFP rating - 1835


2. VINCENT UMAYAN ( wearing stripe shirt vs. Henry Fajardo )

Champion - 2008 Kadayawan Open
Champion 2009 Bob Bula Invitational
UM Varsity - 1996 to 2000
former member- Davao City team, Nat'l Inter-Cities
current NCFP rating - 2024


3.NOFRE REYES ( wearing black shirt, vs. Engr. Oca Barriga )

U.M Varsity - 1991 to 1995
former member- Davao City team, Nat'l Inter-Cities
2nd placer- 2009 Bob Bula Invitational
current NCFP rating- 2013


4. LITO LAPUT( wearing yellow shirt, vs. Chris Yap )

U.M varsity- 1993 to 1996
former member- Digos City team, Nat'l Inter-cities
Champion- 2007 Toril Invitational Chess Challenge
top 10- 2010 Kidapawan Open
current NCFP rating- 2033


5.HENRY FAJARDO

Champion- 1992 Surigao Open
former member- Davao City team, Nat'l Inter-Cities
2nd placer - 2008 IM Marlo Micayabas Invitational
current NCFP rating - 1951


TEAM MANAGER- ENGR. JUN ATMOSFERA JR.

( " Think like a Grandmaster " - Engr. Atmosfera pondering his move against Adrian Llanos in the 2008 IM Micayabas Invitational )
champion- 1974 AND 1981 Toril Open
Champion- 2002 Davao Executive Tourney
member- Toril team, Nat'l inter-cities



CONG. UNGAB- TORIL YOUNGSTARS TEAM

1. JOHN RAY BATUCAN ( In action at the world youth in Vietnam )

CHAMPION - National Age Group 12 years and under- boys , Mandaluyong City
CHAMPION - 9TH ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship (12 years and under- boys)
DANANG, VIETNAM 9TH to 18th June 2008
Philippine Representative - World Age Group Championship(12 years and under- boys)
Vung Tau, Vietnam - rank 24
current NCFP rating- 1904


2.AUSTIN JACOB LITERATUS

Austin Jacob Literatus (playing White) seeing action in Board 1 versus 2008 Shell National Chess Active Championship overall champ Jerich Cajeras (Kiddies Division).

one individual gold medal, three team silvers and one individual bronze- 2009 Asean Age-Group Chess Championships in Hue City Vietnam


3. NEPTALI BATUCAN ( with black shirt against Nofre Reyes )

champion - Mindanao leg junior division, 2008 Shell Active Youth Championships


4. ADRIAN LLANOS

member - U.M chess varsity
tied for 2nd place- 2008 IM Marlo Micayabs Invitational


5.ANTHONY MOSQUEDA

[NM Erwin Retanal(with red t-shirt and hat) pondering his next move against Anthony Mosqueda during the 2009 Kadayawan Open].
member- U.M chess varsity
most promising junior -2009 Kadayawan Open ( defeated NM Elwin Retanal )

TEAM MANAGER - GLEN PACLAR

Playing board 1 for Team Kasparov against Henry Fajardo of Team Alekhine in the recently concluded 1st Cong. Ungab Cup

46th Araw ng Davao (Youth) - Champion
1989 Toril Open - Champion
Dacoville Open - Champion ( 1980's )
member- U.M varsity team, 182 to 1983
7th place - 1993 Far East Bank Region XI Chess championships



( Top placers of the 2009 Bob Bula Invitational, Austin Jacob Literatus and Vincent Umayan will lead their respective team.)

IM OLIVER BARBOSA RULES 2010 KIDAPAWAN OPEN

IM Oliver Barbosa scored six points on five wins and two draws to bag the title along with the P15,000 champion's purse of the 2010 Kidapawan Open held at the Kidapawan Convention Center on February 5 to 7, 2010.


IM Oliver Barbosa who had a brief but fruitful campaign in the US chess circuit highlighted by his topping of the 2009 New York International Open, was the top seed
of the three-day event organized by the Kidapawan Chess Club Inc., in cooperation with the City Government of Kidapawan and Batch 85-Notre Dame of Kidapawan Boys and Girls HS Alumni Association Inc.



(IM Oliver Barbosa in action during the 17 boards simul chess exhibition against the top players of the Metro Toril Chess Association held on November 14, 2009 at the Toril Chess Plaza, Davao City. )


Three other players also scored 6 points each, including national masters Levi Mercado and Rustum Tolentino of Cagayan de Oro City, and Harrison Maamo of Davao City, but Barbosa emerged the champion due to a higher tie-break.

Mercado, the 2009 Mayor Jaraula Cup Champion, placed second, while Tolentino and Maamo took the third and fourth spots, respectively. Mercado won P10,000, while Tolentino settled for P5,000.

Cotabato City pride NM Sarip Roger gained fifth place with 5.5 points, while 10 woodpushers, including dethroned defending champion NM Edgar Reggie Olay, scored five points to share sixth to 15th places.

Cagayan de Oro's Jhonnel Balquin, Davao City's Peter Tidoy, Koronadal City's Cesar Apalla, Digos City's Lito Laput, General Santos City's Ric Portogalera, Panabo City's NM Cedric Magno and Henry Lopez, Surallah's Ferdinand Leysa, and Kidapawan City's Bob Salanga all finished with five points.

Kidapawan City's Philip John Leyson Jr., 2009 Shell Active Chess national finalist, was awarded the Best Junior Player of the tournament after scoring 4.5 points.

Special awards were also given to Davao City's John Ray Batucan as Best Kiddie Player with 4.5 points and Nikki Erica Yngayo as Best Female Player with 4 points. They also received medals and cash prizes.

Toril bet Henry Fajardo made an early run scoring 4 points in the 1st 4 rounds beating in the process IM Candidate and defending champion Reggie Olay, Henry Lopez and US Master Peter Tidoy. However, he lost steam and failed to score in the last 3 rounds.

Dr. Ted P. Calica, Kidapawan City Chess Club Inc. president, and city sports coordinator Ramil Deldo led the awarding of trophies, medals and cash prizes to the winners.