What's Up?

Hey there!

The last entry I did here was on July 12 of 2014. It has been three months and it feels like I haven't blogged in years.  So what have I been doing? And what have you been doing?

I've been very busy with teaching, coaching basketball and chess, and watching movies.

I've gone on to Twitter  and was a heavy user during the FIBA World Cup 2014.

And on Saturday, I'll be coaching my 13 and Under Boys Basketball team against one of the catholic school boys basketball team here in our city.

I'd like to share this PinoyPlay video to everyone:

En Passant Chess Tournament

‘En Passant’

Age Group & 2050 and below

Rapid Chess Tournament

Sunday, 8:30 am, July 20, 2014

@ Alphaland Southgate Mall, Makati City

TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES

Age Group  - Open to all non-titled chess players (regardless of gender and ratings,  the following as follows;

·         Under 10 – Born not earlier than 2004

·         Under 13 – Born not earlier than 2001

·         Under 16 – born not earlier than 1998

2050 & Below - Open to all non-titled, untitled, unrated and rated chess players with NCFP latest ratings as of June 2014,  regardless of age and gender, who are members in good standing with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).  However, titled kiddies can join on this division.

1.       The new FIDE Laws of Chess, (which took effect on July 1, 2014) particularly the new Laws on Rapid Chess, shall govern the tournament. (ground rule will be posted onsite)

2.       The tournament format shall be seven or more rounds Swiss System, depending on the number of participants.         

3.       The time control shall be twenty (20) minutes with 5 seconds time delay mode (Bronstein)

Age-Group	Under 10	Under 13	Under 16	2050 & Below
Champion	2000 + trophy	2500 +trophy	3000 + trophy	5000 + trophy
2nd place	1500 + medal	1,500 + medal	1,500 + medal	3000 + medal
3rdplace	1000 + medal	1000 + medal	1000 + medal	2000 + medal
4th place	700 +medal	700 + medal	700 + medal	1,000.00
5th place	600 + medal	600 + medal	600 + medal	700.00
6th to 8th place	200 + medal	300 + medal	300 + medal
6th to 10th  place				500.00
Top Female	500 + medal	500 + medal	500 + medal	600
Top 2000 Below				600
Top 1950 Below				600
Top College				600
Top Unrated				300

6.  Participants should bring any proof of age (e.g. birth certificate or government-issued I.D.)

7.      For inquiries, please call/text the following arbiters/organizers:

FNA  ALEX DINOY                      -  0922-8288510                 

FNA XIAN JAVIER                      - 0929-4558931

FNA  MILES SAMANIEGO        -  0932-4913833                 

FNA FERDIE REYES                   - 0998-3702528

FNA  GATZ LUZ                            -  0925 -8884859                

8.       Registration Fee: P250.00 for Age-Group and P300 for 2050 division free lunch for each participant.

9.       Maximum of 300 participants on a first-come, first- served basis only.

Officiated and  sanctioned by: NCFP and Chess Arbiters Union of the Philippines

                                                                                

The 2014 National Children's Book Day Fair

Here's an announcement I got through my inbox, thanks to our school librarian, Ms. Agnes M:

July 15, 2014 is the Philippines' 31st National Children's Book Day! The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is organizing a children's book fair at Museo Pambata, Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive, Manila. The following publishers and organizations are participating in the fair:

Adarna House * Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang InK) * Anvil Publishing Inc.  The Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development (CANVAS) Dream Big Books * Hiyas * Lampara Books * LG&M Chikiting Books
Save the Children Philippines * Tahanan Books for Young Readers

Publishers will present their latest children's books through performances, games, and even cooking demonstrations! Booths at the fair will sell books, magazines, and art for children. There will be discounts, giveaways, face painting, a drawing/coloring corner, storytelling sessions, and book signings and meet & greets with authors and illustrators.

See you all on July 15 (Tuesday), from 9A.M. to 5P.M., at
Museo Pambata for the 2014 National Children's Book Day Fair!

Warmest wishes,

Frances Ong  

Tahanan Books

Slovak String Orchestra @ Concert at the Park

The National Parks Development Committee, in partnership with the UP Manila Chorale and The National Commission for Culture and the Arts, presents Musica Iuvenalis, Slovak String Orchestra, this Sunday, July 13, 2014 at Concert at the Park. Joining them on this show are UP Manila Chorale and Coro Tomasino. Show starts at 6PM at the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium. Admission is free.

GM Barbosa's Olympiad Deadline

Joey Villar's continuing coverage of the Philippine chess has given us much information about the status of the players in our country. This time, it is GM Oliver Barbosa given until Thursday of this week to decide whether  he will join the Philippine team for the Tromso Olympiad or not.


Here is Joey's article: Barbosa given until Thursday to decide joining Phl team in Chess Olympiad.

Although lately I've been reading Joey's write-ups on his blog, I still am a big follower of Bobby Ang's Chess Piece column at the Business World and I've yet to read about this.


National Chess Federation of the Philippines' officials must be having tremendous time right now due to the fact that most Pinoy GM's are following the lead of Wesley So in moving to the US of A.

Corruption of the soul and corruption of the mind leads to corruption in the society.

Good luck to Philippine Chess and to all the Filipino chess players who have represented the country before and were taken for granted by NCFP.

Sayang ang mga talent. Tsk! Tsk!

2nd Saturday Chess @ Alphaland Mall

Well here is an upcoming tournament happening on the 12th of July at the Alphaland Mall:

Dust and Cobwebs

It has been seven months since I last posted here and I don't even know if anybody even attempts to check this blog. Much has happened in my personal life, in the chess world, in Philippine politics and quite recently, the announcement of Senator Miriam Santiago about her stage 4 lung cancer.

I've taken on basketball coaching since January of 2013. I have had the chance of attending the Alaska-Jr NBA/WNBA Coaches Clinic, helped out with a High School Girls Basketball team as a volunteer coach. I was lucky enough to be part of the Coaching Staff of the Men's Basketball Team of a University somewhere in Mandaluyong.

Every Sunday since May, I've been giving basketball training to my daughter and a couple of other kids. This basketball coaching has motivated me to be physically fit and healthy.

Although my chess activities decreased, I still managed to find time to play online chess on a regular basis. The Scholastic Chess Camp 2014 was a success too with Michael Concio Jr giving a simultaneous chess exhibition to eleven kids last June 26, 2014.

GM Wesley So switches federation because he wants to and I couldn't agree more. If I'll be given an opportunity to leave the country, I will definitely do so and bring along my entire clan. I'm frustrated at how the government has handled the PDAF Scandal and the erring senators getting the VIP treatment in jail. The worst part of it all is that we have been shown how bad these leaders are and yet corruption goes on in every corner of Philippine Society.

I've read Gerry Alanguilan's Rodski Patotski "Ang Dalagang Baby" and I liked it, get one too. Please say a little prayer to Gerry and his family for the passing of mom last May 28.

My summer break is almost over and I'll be back in school to do what I love doing best, learn with my students.

For now, let me go to bed and sleep. I'm not even sure when I'll come back to write.

Tim Burton's The World of Stainboy

Thanks to Open Culture, we now have the complete animated series of Tim Burton The World of Stainboy. There are six episodes and I'm posting them all herein our blog.  Enjoy watching!

Episode 1 Stare Girl:



Episode 2 Toxic Boy:



Episode 3 Bowling Ball Head:



Episode 4 Robot Boy:



Episode 5 Matchstick Girl: 



Episode 6 The Origin of Stainboy:

The Face of Webster University

Wesley So is the current face of Webster University.

Beat that!

Drawn Game in Time Trouble

Here is a game I played early this morning. Time trouble causes a chessplayer to miss out on basic, simple checkmating maneuvers. After gaining a Bishop in the almost-endgame part of the game, I had difficulty playing out moves to trap his King.

Here it is:

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2013.11.14"] [Round "?"]
[White "The_Brown_ManPH"] [Black "tebogo555555"] [Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1436"] [BlackElo "1355"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bb5 Bd7 5. O-O g6 6. d3 Bg7 7. c3 Nf6 8. Be3 O-O 9. h3 a6 10. Ba4 b5 11. Bc2 e6 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nh2 Rc8 14. e5 dxe5 15. Bxc5 exf4 16. Rxf4 Ne5 17. d4 Nc4 18. Ne4 Nxe4 19. Rxe4 Bc6 20. Re1 Bd5 21. b3 Nd6 22. Ng4 Nf5 23. Be4 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Qc7 25. Qf3 Rcd8 26. Rae1 Nh4 27. Qf2 Nf5 28. Rf1 a5 29. Ne3 b4 30. Nxf5 exf5 31. Rxe8+ Rxe8 32. cxb4 axb4 33. Bxb4 Bxd4 34. Qxd4 Rd8 35. Qf6 Rd3 36. Ba3 Qb6+ 37. Kh1 Rd2 38. Be7 Qb7 39. Rg1 Qa8 40. Bb4 Qxa2 41. Bxd2 Qxd2 42. Qe7 Kg7 43. Qe5+ Kh6 44. Qg3 Qg5 45. h4 Qd2 46. Qg5+ Kg7 47. Qxd2 h5 48. Kh2 f4 49. g3 g5 50. Kh3 Kh7 51. Qd4 g4+ 52. Kh2 Kh6 53. gxf4 g3+ 54. Kxg3 f5 55. Qf6+ Kh7 56. Kf3 1/2-1/2

Bishop and Knight Checkmate

Here is one more game to add to my collection of quick won games. After this blitz-1-minute-game, my opponent punished me with 12 consecutive defeats before I won again and he quit.

So here it is, a nine-move checkmate right from the opening:

What's UP Baranggay?

The 2013 Baranggay Election is happening on Monday, October 28. To serve the community, to help and aid the neighbors and the lead the pack are some of the sold-out, tested campaign shout-outs for the candidates.

But what do we really know about the Local Government Unit? Our country's agency in-charge of the administration of the leaders of each baranggay.

I found one Vimeo video, produced by the UP Open University. Let's watch:

GMA News' Katipunan: Unang Kabanata

GMA News and Public Affairs did it again!

I hope this series reaches all Philippine classrooms and aid our students in learning more about Philippine history, culture, language and values. This is Katipunan Episode # 1- Unang Kabanata: Teresa aired October 19, 2013.

Let us have more of this on Philippine TV!

Ang galing GMA News!

LSMS-Chess @ Brent 2013

The League of Southern Manila Schools-Chess Tournament is happening this Saturday, October 19, 2013. The tournament was rescheduled from the original date of October 12 due to typhoon Santi. The time control is 30/g.

Format for the tournament is kinda' odd though:

2013 LSMS CHESS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

I.              GENERAL:

1.     The Tournament is open to all chess teams representing the Member Schools of the League of Southern Manila Schools (LSMS). This event will be conducted in four (4) separate Divisions, namely; the BOYS & GIRLS GRADE SCHOOL DIVISION and the BOYS & GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION.

2.     Each participating team shall be composed of Five (5) players; whereby, Four (4) Regular Board Players and one (1) Alternate. The competition shall be played over Four (4) Boards.

3.     The playing members of each team must be listed in the order of their specific board assignments (Boards 1 to 4) which shall be strictly observed throughout the tournament.

4.     All players shall maintain their designated board assignments during the entire duration of the event. In no case shall a player play on a board lower higher than his original board assignment. Substitution of players shall be done via Slide-Rule.

5.     The color assignments (White or Black) based on the Pairing shall be referred to Board 1 & 3 players. The Board 2 & 4 teammates shall play the opposite color as assigned on the Pairing.

6.     The FIDE Laws of Active Chess, unless otherwise specified in these rules, shall govern the tournament.

II.            TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES AND VENUE:

This two (2)-day competition will be held at the Atrium Area of Brent International School-Manila, Brentville Subdivision, Brgy. Mamplasan, Biñan, Laguna, and will have the following schedules;

D A T E	T I M E	A C T I V I T Y
October  19, 2012 ( Saturday )	8:00 AM – 9:00 AM   9:00 AM – 10:00 AM  10:10 AM – 11:10 AM 11:20 AM – 12:20 PM 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM 2:10 PM – 3:10 PM	Submission of Team Line-up and Coaches’ Meeting R O U N D  1 (Elimination Phase) R O U N D  2 (Elimination Phase) R O U N D  3 (Elimination Phase) R O U N D  4 (Elimination Phase) R O U N D  5 (Elimination Phase)
October 26, 2012 ( Saturday )	8:30 AM – 9:30 AM    9:40 AM – 10:40 AM 10:50 AM – 11:50 AM 12:30 PM	R O U N D  1 (Championship Phase) R O U N D  2 (Championship Phase) R O U N D  3 (Championship Phase) Awarding Ceremony

                

NOTE:      The Starting Time for each Game may vary or be adjusted as the need arises.

III.           TOURNAMENT SYSTEM & FORMAT:

1.     Each Division will be conducted in a FIVE (5) ROUND SWISS SYSTEM ELIMINATION PHASE. The Seed Number of each Team will be determined thru the Drawing-of-Lots which will be conducted during the Coaches’ Meeting. After the Elimination Phase, the TOP FOUR (4) TEAMS in each Division shall then advance to the CHAMPIONSHIP PHASE. In the Championship Phase, the four (4) chess teams shall compete in a SINGLE ROUND-ROBIN FORMAT. Their seeding of these four teams will be based on their Final Ranking in the Elimination Phase. The team with the highest total Game Points after the Single Round-Robin will be declared the Champion Team.

2.     The Scoring System shall be Game Points. The Defaulting Time will be set 15 minutes after the start of every Game.

3.     The Rate of Play for each player to make all his/her moves necessary to finish the game shall be THIRTY (30) MINUTES. The use of chess clocks shall be mandatory.

4.     Recording of moves is OPTIONAL. However, each team, through their Coach and/or Team Captain, must fill-up and submit the Team Result Form to the Chief Arbiter for proper recording of every Match Result.

IV.           TIE-BREAK SYSTEM:

1.     For the Final Ranking in the Elimination Phase and the Final Standings in the Championship Phase, ties shall be broken as follows;

1.1       Total Match Points,

1.2       Direct Encounter (result of the match/es between/among the tied teams (winner-over-the-other). If the match is drawn (1-1 tie), then the result of the game on Board 1 shall decide the tie. If the result on Board 1 is a draw, then the result of the game on Board 2 shall decide the tie. . If the result on Board 3 is a draw, then the result of the game on Board 4 shall decide the tie.

1.3       Sonnenborn-Berger (SB) System.

1.4       More No. of wins based on Match points

2.     For the Final Individual Board Results (players tied only on percentages), based on the Elimination Phase;

2.1       by winner-over-the-other,

2.2       by the most number of games played,

2.3       by the most number of won games,

2.4       by the most number of black pieces handled

I wonder how can there be ONLY four teams in the championship round if there will be 2 sets of Top 4 teams after the elimination phase---remember the two divisions? Gotta ask my Athletics Director about this.

In the meantime, the position below came up in our chess training the other in our Sports Program After School:

PhoneVideo Capture from Shell Grand Finals 2013

Here is one Endgame I captured from the event I covered. Sorry about the viewpoint!

Live Coverage: Day 2 of 2013 Grand Finals Shell NYACC

Day 2 of our live blog coverage is made possible through the assistance of the following people and organization:

• Mr. Robert "Bobby" Ang, RP's Premier Chess Journalist
• Sheila Mariano and the Filipino Migrant News-NZ
• Dra. Daigdig "Dig" Paras, OBGYN
• Mr. Carlos Ansus, IT and Software Solution Specialist 
• Mrs. Rose Christensen and Family
• Ferdinand A. Buenaventura

Live Coverage: 2013 Grand Finals Shell SNYACC

This live blog coverage is made possible through the assistance of the following: 

• Mr. Robert "Bobby" Ang, RP's Premier Chess Journalist
• Sheila Mariano and The Filipino Migrant News-NZ
• Dra. Daigdig "Dig" Paras, OBGYN
• Mr. Carlos Ansus, IT and Software Solution Specialist 
• Mrs. Rose Christensen and Family

 

Countdown to the 2013 Grand Finals of Shell NYACC

We are covering it live!!!

Ely Buendia Sings for PETA

"Ely Buendia sings for PETA", a one night only fundraising concert for PETA's Endowment Fund.

Watch this music icon upclose & personal as he performs his greatest hits inside The PETA Theater Center's intimate 400-seater blackbox theater this Sept 20, 8:00P.M.

RESERVE NOW! Tickets are P1000 (balcony side), P2000 (orchestra side, balcony center), P2500 (orch center), P5000 (VIP). Contact 725-6244 or 0917-518 3654 to reserve.

UP College of Music: Freshman Show 2013

Everyone is invited to the Freshman show on Wednesday @ 4 PM, September 4, 2013 at the Abelardo Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City.

The UP College of Music Freshman show is directed by Viel Eugenio. ANother product of homeschooling program.

Admission is free!

Teaser:

: