Pocket full of chess

Hi!

With a pocket full of shell! (screaming!) Hahahahahah! Bulls on parade! Bullet with butterfly wings! Boston 1979... Despite all the rage, still just a rat in the cage!

What the heck? What's all of these?

Readers in the same musical era as mine, sorry for the population of baby boomers and pre-war era, (we still look up to you for everything you have contributed for our generation) can recall these lines from heavy music players like Rage Against The Machine and Smashing Pumpkins. These are the ines which I believe can best describe how I feel about Philippine Chess and The Weekender. Full of news, full of bits.

So surprised and of course happy to find out about the lifting of suspension for GM candidates Darwin Laylo and Ronald Dableo in time for the Cebu Chess Festival thiw September 18 onwards. Nice to know too that we were mentioned(hahahah! babaw!) in the recent post made by Amiel in his blog. Also, thank you for Cris Aquino and Jessica Sojo, another smile and laughter inside my heavily polluted brain, for sending us news about the recent MILO Chess Tournament... I believe those were pseudonyms.

Anyways, let's make our moves:

The Chess Plaza Weekender

Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 15

Dableo, Laylo boost Pinoys’ Asian challenge

THE National Chess Federation of the Philippines’ leadership has agreed to lift the suspension of IMs Ronald Dableo and Darwin Laylo so as to allow them to compete in the Asian Championship, which gets under way in Cebu on Wednesday, journalist Ignacio “Iggy” Dee reports.

This developed as the total number of foreigners rose to 58 with the entry of seven Iranians led by GMs Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (2610), Ehsan Moradiabadi (2540), and Amir Bagheri (2495).

The other Iranians are IM Morteza Mahjooibzrdast (2479) and FMs Homayoon Tamijani (2391), Javad Moghadam (2493) and Mehrdad Ardeshi (2407).

Fortunately for the Filipinos, who will be led by GMs Eugene Torre and Joey Antononio along with 13-year-old whiz kid from Bacoor, IM Wesley So, some of the higher-rated Chinese and Indian players mentioned in earlier reports as entering the event are not coming at all.

Among them are China’s top two GMs, Wang Yue and Bu Xiangzhi, and India’s Krishnan Sasikiran and P. Harikrishna.

Super GMs Ni Hua (2681), Zhang Pengxiang (2649) and 18-year-old Wang Hua (2624) are definitely among China’s top entries. All three have been on the Chinese team that downed both Russia and Britain in friendly matches.

The Indians will be led by Surya Shekhar Ganguly (2586), Chanda Sandipan (2563) and Abhijit Kunte (2519). They are veteran international campaigners who recently took part in major tournaments abroad like the World Open in the US and the Montreal Open in Canada.

The local representation will be playing minus three of the five grandmasters—Mark Paragua, who prefers to play now in the US where he plans to further his studies at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, and Bong Villamayor and Nelson Mariano II, who could not come because of their work commitments as chess teachers and trainers in Singapore.

It is in this context that the entry of Dableo, who took part in the World Championship in Tripoli with Paragua, and of Laylo, a two-time national open champion, will bolster considerably the chances of Filipinos to land one of the 10 slots in the World Cup that are at stake in the Asian Championship.

CAMPO KEYNOTES W.C.C. OPENING
Anand scores 1st win

WORLD No. 1 Viswanathan Anand of India drew first blood by winning with Black against the fastest-rising global superstar from Armenia, Levon Aronian, in the second round of the World Chess Championship in Mexico City on Friday after Thursday’s dull draws in the opener.

Soon after Anand’s resounding win, defending champion Vladimir Kramnik turned in a brilliant win with White against his compatriot, Alexander Morozevich.

But the biggest surprise of all, especially to Filipinos, was the appearance of Florencio Campomanes, honorary president of the World Chess Federation (Fide), as the keynote speaker at the ceremony opening the event in Mexico City’s Sheraton Historico Hotel on Wednesday.

Campomanes had just recovered from a near-fatal car crash in Turkey last February, just days before his 80th birthday.

Flown back to the Philippines in March, the aging Filipino chess icon was bedridden first at the Asian Hospital in Alabang and, days later, at the Makati Medical Center.

In April, eager to try his legs, Campomanes hied off to Baguio to stay with a friend’s family and did walking exercises daily as part of his physical therapy during the summer months.

With an iron will, he forced himself to go up and down sloping streets in Baguio and miraculously recovered fully the use of his legs. Early this week flew to Mexico without fanfare.

Throughout his agonizing struggle to get back literally on his feet, he never showed himself in public, did not grant any press interviews and talked only to a few very close friends.

He traveled to Mexico, flying halfay around the globe, virtually incognito to deliver the keynote speech on behalf of Fide president Kirshan Ilyumzhinov, who was indisposed to take the trip all the way from Elista, capital of Kalmykia, a Russian republic..

The World Championship, which features Anand, Kramnik, Aronian, Morozevich and four other titans, namely, Peter Leko, Peter Svidler, Boris Gelfand and Alexander Grischuk.

Kramnik, Morozevich, Svidler and Grischuk are all from Russia, Leko is from Hungary, Aronian from Armenia and Gelfand from Israel. All seven came from the defunct Soviet Union or its satellites.

Anand, 37, and Kramnik, 32, are the top seeds based on their ratings. Only 23 Elo points separate the two titans, however.

Although Kramnik needed only 27 moves with White to force Morozevich to resign, it took the world champion longer on the clock than Anand’s 41 moves from a Semi-Slav opening.

Anand, who is favored by former world No. 1 Garry Kasparov to win the crown, is regarded as the strongest in speed chess, which is why the press has dubbed him “The Lightning Kid.”

• L. Aronian (2750) – V. Anand,(2792)
Semi-Slav Defense (D43)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0–0 Nbd7.13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 15.Rad1 0–0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 c5 17...Qb6 18.Kh2 equalizes 18.dxc5 Qe7 19. a6 20.a4 Bc6 21.Nd5 exd5 22.exd5 Be5 23.f4 Not 23.dxc6 because of 23...Bxg3! 24.Qg6+ fxg6 25.Bxc4+ bxc4 26.Kg1 Qxh4 27.Rf2 Qh2+ 28.Kf1 Rae8 29.cxd7 Qh1#! Bg7 24.dxc6 Nxc5 25.Rd5 Missing 25.Rfe1! Ne4 26.Kh2 Nxg3 27.Kxg3! Ne4! Black is now ahead 26.Be1 Qe6 27.Rxh5 f5 28.Kh2 Rac8 29.Bb4 Rfe8 30.axb5 axb5 31.Re1 Qf7 32.Rg5 Nxg5 33.fxg5 Rxc6 34.Bf1 Rxe1 35.Bxe1 Re6 36.Bc3 Qc7+ 36...Re3!? seems even better, says Fritzs: 37.Qd2 g3+ 37.g3 Re3 38.Qg2 Bxc3 39.bxc3 f4 40.Qa8+ Kg7 41.Qa6 fxg3+!

The end: 42.Kg2 Qf7 43.Qh6+ Kg8! 0–1

• V. Kramnik (2769) – A. Morozevich (2758)
Open Catalan (E04)

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nd5 8.0–0 0–0 9.Qc2 b5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.b3 c6 12.e4 f6 13.exd5 Best was 13.Nf3!, says Fritz fxe5! 14.bxc4 exd4 15.dxc6 Be6 16.cxb5 d3 Missing his best shot, 16...Ra7!, e.g., 17.Rb1 d3! 17.c7! Qd4 17...Qd6 should be tried 18.Qa4 Nd7 19.Be3 Qd6 20.Bxa8 Rxa8 21.Bf4 Qf8?? 22.b6! Ne5?? 23.Bxe5 23.b7! was best Qf3 24.Qd1 Not 24.Qxb4?? Bd5 25.Qf8+ Rxf8 26.c8Q Qh1#! Qe4 25.b7 Rf8 26.c8=Q 26.b8=Q was more decisive Bd5 27.f3!

The knockout punch. Now, if 27…Qxe5 28.Qxd3! 1–0

Anand and Kramnik face off in the next round on Saturday in Mexico City (Sunday in Manila).

N.C.F.P. ‘FACTION’ GETS ITS ACT TOGETHER, BUT…
New exec chess series on the roll

EXECUTIVE director Samuel Estimo of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines has launched an executive chess series that in effect served as the opening salvo of the splinter group he heads in its struggle for power within the game’s governing body.

Estimo himself, who is a national master, and Dr. Jenny Mayor, a ranking member of the NCFP board, topped the maiden edition of the series on Saturday last week with 6.0 points each.

In solo third place was NM Nick Nisperos, as reported by Weekender correspondent NM Marlon Bernardino, who tied for seventh to 10th places.

Albert Rivera, Jun Balgan and NM Efren Bagamasbad tied for the third to sixth slots.

The event drew 37 players.

According to Bernardino, the series enjoys the support of NCFP chairman Matias Defensor, GM Eugene Torre, Elections Commissioner Mehol Sadain, Nueva Viscaya’s former gubernatorial candidate Ernie Salunat and IM Rodolfo Tan Cardoso.

Torre and Cardoso, Asia’s trailblazing grandmaster and international master, are the country’s foremost chess icons, along with former Fide president Florencio Campomanes.

Yesterday, the second edition was held to signal the group’s intention to make it a regular weekly event.

The Weekender welcomes the advent of this series, which has the patronage of the country’s leading players. It has reservations, however, about the timing of its debut, considering that the Asian Continental Championship will begin this week in Cebu City.

For the first time since the halcyon days of Philippine chess when the country hosted such big events as the Karpov-Korchnoi World Championship Match in Baguio 1978, the World Juniors in Baguio 1987 and the World Olympiad in Manila 1992, a truly major regional event is being held here.

Such events are once in a blue moon, which is a very rare phenomenon indeed!

Let the series serve as an aperitif, not the main menu that Estimo’s “faction” projects it to be.

Bancod named ‘Player
of the Month’ by CJAP

THE Chess Journalists Association of the Philippines (CJAP) has chosen IM Ronald Bancod as “Player of the Month” for August.

Bancod topped the qualifying tournament finals for the national team bound for Macau next month to compete in the Asian Indoor Games

The former UP varsity star received more votes than outstanding 13-year-old whiz kid Wesley So and Barlo Nadera, both of them also international masters like Bancod.

Wesley headed the team of youngsters who took the bronze in the World Under-16 Olympiad in Singapore while Nadera was the top Filipino player in the Dato Arthur Tan Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Both events were held last month. IM So also won the gold as best player in the Youth Olympiad.

All three outstanding international masters are expected to carry the Philippine colors along with the country’s leading grandmasters like GMs Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio in the Asian Continental Championship to open in Cebu on Tuesday.

About 80 players from all over Asia are expected to compete in the event, which will serve as qualifier for the World Cup, also a part of the World Championship cycle being held every two years under the auspices of the World Chess Federation (Fide).

HOMESTRETCH JITTERS?
Salvador fails to bag GM title anew

ONCE again, Milan-based Filipino IM Roland Salvador missed capturing his third and final grandmaster’s norm, which would have earned him the coveted GM title.

Salvador had already drawn against a grandmaster and two international masters when he lost in the final round.

But, as explained by reader John Manahan, even if Salvador had won his ninth-round game there, he would not have gained a GM result because his opponent was not a grandmaster.

Salvador (2451), who bagged his IM title last year in Italy, has achieved two GM results and needs only one more to achieve his goal: to become the country’s sixth grandmaster.

It is understood that Salvador went to Cesenatico, which is some distance from Milan, to try his luck again because he wants to come back home having been in Italy for over a year now. He had been frustrated at least twice over the past year.

Salvador and his fellow IM, Rolly Martinez, live in Milan in northern Italy, where there is a large Filipino community.

In Cesenatico, Salvador was one of the leading players entering the final round with 5.5 points from three wins and five draws, and needed only another draw against a GM to achieve his GM result.

One of his five draws was against a 49-year-old German veteran campaigner, GM Felix Levin (2521), in the seventh round, and two were against fellow IMs Bogomil Andonov (2381) of Bulgaria in the fourth and Mathias Roeder (2444) of Germany in the sixth.

Here is Salvador’s first win in Cesenatico, Italy.

• R. Salvador (2461) – M. Barazzetta (2080)
Semi-Benoni (A44)

1.d4 c5 2.d5 e5 3.e4 d6 4.f4 exf4 Equalizing 5.Bxf4 Nf6 6.Nc3 a6 7.a4 b6 7...Be7 8.Nf3 keeps the balance 8.Bd3 Be7 9.Nf3 Bg4 9...Nbd7 10.0–0 should keep it equal 10.0–0 0–0 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nbd7 13.Nd1 Ne5 14.Bxe5 dxe5 15.Ne3 Ne8 16.Qe2 a5 17.Qh5 f6 18.Rf3 Nd6 19.Rg3 Rf7 19...Rc8 20.Qg4 Rf7 21.Bb5 favors White 20.Rf1 Bf8 21.Ng4 21.c3 g6 should give White the edge, says Fritz g6 22.Qh4 Fritz suggests 22.b3! Bg7 23.Rgf3 f5 24.Nh6+ Bxh6 25.Qxh6 Raa7 25...f4 was best: 26.b3 Rg7! 26.exf5 e4 27.Bxe4 Nxe4 28.fxg6 Rxf3 29.Rxf3 Ng5?? 30.Rg3! hxg6 30...Qe7 offered the last chance for counterplay, says Fritz 31.Rxg5 Rg7 32.Rxg6 Rxg6 33.Qxg6+ Kf8 34.d6 Qh4 35.Qf5+ Ke8 36.Qc8+ Kf7 37.Qc7+ Better was 37.Qd7+ Kf8 38.Qe6! Kg6 38.d7!

Decisive, e.g., 38…Qxa4 39.Qxb6+ Kf7 40.d8=Q Qd4+ 41.Qxd4 cxd4 42.Qxd4!, and wins.1–0

Manahan also reported that another Filipino expatriate, Cyril Seruelo, had finished solo third in the Queenstown Championship in Singapore.

Seruelo garnered 5.5 points from seven rounds, half a point behind FIDE Masters Goh Weiming (2388) and Lo Kin Mun Dominic (2153) of Singapore, Manahan wrote to The Weekender.

The tiny city state is home to many Filipino expatriates, including two grandmasters, Bong Villamayor and Nelson Mariano II.

Chess arbiters’ group to hold unique 3-in-1+1 tourney

THE Chess Arbiters Association of the Philippines will hold a unique “3-in-1+1” tournament next weekend, September 29-30, at the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City.

The two-day event will be played over 18 rounds under three different time controls—30, 20 and 10 minutes for a player to finish a game.

Each format will have six rounds.

There will be prizes to the winners in each format, as follows: P3,000 first prize, P2,000 second, P1,000 third, P700 fourth, and P500 fifth.

Those interested in joining the weekend of fun may contact Alfred V. Chay at 0919-4512384 for further details.

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF EUGENE TORRE
Shell series draws 500 Ilonggo players

UNDER clear skies with fine weekend weather prevailing during the usually rainy month of August in the home province of the country’s foremost chess icon, the Iloilo City leg of the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship (SNYACC) drew 500 players, the biggest number yet in the region-to-region nationwide series.

The players were welcomed by Shell’s Lapuz Installation operations manager Johan Gonzales in a simple ceremony opening the two-day festival, held at the Lower Ground Atrium in Iloilo City from August 18 to 19.

In his inspirational talk, Iloilo City Councilor Joe Espinosa III reminded the players that “the first Filipino grandmaster came from Iloilo in the person of Eugene Torre” even as he praised Pilipinas Shell for sustaining its commitment over the past 15 years to helping Filipino youths develop their playing talents and skills.

“Shell has been bringing the SNYACC to Iloilo, and we are hoping that one of you here, fellow Ilonggos, shall follow in the footsteps of Eugene Torre,” Councilor Espinosa said.

He and Pilipinas Shell’s Lapuz Installation manager Rey Ariston formally opened the tournament by playing the ceremonial move.

Last year’s Iloilo leg champion, Ellan Asuela of Domingo Lacson National High School, successfully defended his title with 6.5 points from seven games, followed by Rolly Parondo Jr. of Oron National High School with 6.0.

Bryll Arellano and Eric Abanco, both from West Negros College, settled for the third and fourth prizes.

In the kiddies, Jerich Cajeras of West Negros College won with a phenomenal perfect score of 7.0 points, followed by Paulo Bersamina of De La Salle-Greenhills with 6.5 from seven games.

Jan Francis Merano of Aklan Valley National High School settled for third place with 6.5, followed by Ralpho Ranzo Otero of Sto. Domingoand Steven Paul Aguirre of West Negros College.

Asuela, Parondo Jr., Bryll Arellano, Cajeras, Bersamina and Merano all qualified for the Grand Finals scheduled to be held on October 20-21.

This weekend the continuing Shell series is being held in Davao City.

—Jun Jay G. Jimenez

IN LIVERPOOL, CRADLE OF THE BEATLES
China crushes UK, 28-20

CHINA’S juggernaut crushed a British team, 28-20, in a six-round match held in Liverpool, England, cradle of The Beatles, from September 4 to 9.

The eight-player Chinese team, fresh from a win against the Russians in Nizhniy, Novgorod, 52-48, found their British rivals easier pickings despite the presence of two living legends, English superstars Michael Adams and Nigel Short.

Wang Hao, 17, Zhang Pengxiang, Wang Yue and Ni Hua of China emerged as the top scorers with 4.0 points each among the six men while Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, a former Georgian married to a Scotsman, also had 4.0 to excel among the four women.

Despite her excellent results, IMs Arakhamia-Grant and Jovanka Houska ended up in a tie with their younger Chinese counterparts, WFM Ding Yixin and WGM Shen Yang at 6.0 points each.

China’s 13-year-old wonder girl, Hou Yifan, played with the men’s team, ending up at the bottom.

How they scored individually:

Chinese men—1-4. Wang Hao, Zhang Pengxiang, Wang Yue and Ni Hua, 4.0 each; 5. Bu Xiangxhi, 3.5, and 6. Hou Yifan, 2.5. Total: 22.

Chinese women—1. Ding Yixin, 3.5, and 2. Zhen Yang, 2.5. Total: 6.0

British men—1. Michael Adams, 3.5; 2. Nitgel Short, 3.0 3. Gawain Jones, 2.5; 4. David Howell, 2.0; 5-6, Nicholas Pert and Jonathan Rowson, 1.5 each. Total :14.

British women—1. Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant and 4.0. Jovanka Houska, 2.0. Total 6.0

In the International Open, Daniel Fridman of Germany won the top prize.

The Chinese men started strongly, with Wang Hao, 17, beating GM Short, 42, a former world title challenger, in the opener.

• Wang Hao (2624) – N. Short (2683)
Rd. 1, Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz (C76)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.0–0 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Re1 Nge7 9.d5 Na5 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.b3 b5 12.c4 c5 13.dxc6 Missing 13.Na3 0–0, with a clear edge Qxc6 14.Bg5 bxc4 15.Bxe7± Kxe7 16.Nc3 Bh6 17.Nd5+! Gaining a vantage view Kf8 18.h4 Rc8 19.Ng5 Bxg5 20.hxg5 Qe8 21.Qf3 Qd8 Not 21...Qe6 22.Rac1, and White has the edge 22.Qf6 Qxf6 23.gxf6 Better than 23.Nxf6 h6! Ke8 24.Rac1 Rc6 25.b4 Nb7 26.Ne7 Rc7 27.Nd5 Rc6 28.Re3 Kd7 29.Rec3 Rb8 30.Rxc4 Nd8 31.a4 h5 32.g3 Rb7 33.a5 Rxc4 34.Rxc4 Nc6 35.Nb6+ Kc7 36.Kg2 Rb8 37.Nd5+ Kd7 38.Nb6+ Kc7 39.Nd5+ Kd7 40.f3 g5 41.Rc1 Nxb4 42.Rc7+ Ke8 43.Ne3 Nd3 44.Nc4 Rd8 45.Rc6 d5 46.Nd6+ Kf8 47.Rc7 d4??

Black crumbles under pressure, but there is nothing much Black can do,

48.Rxf7+! Kg8 49.Rg7+ Kf8 50.Rf7+ 50.Nf5 is more precise, e.g., 50...Ke8 51.Rg8+ Kf7 52.Rxd8 Ne1+ 53.Kf2 Nd3+ 54.Ke2!, and wins Kg8 51.Rg7+ Kf8 52.Nf5 Rb8 53.Nh6 Rb2+ 54.Kf1! 1–0

• J. Rowson (2599) - Zhang Pengxiang (2649)
Rd. 1, Queen’s Gambit Declined (D30)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Nbd7 6.b3 dxc4 7.bxc4 e5 8.Nbd2 Qe7 9.Qc2 exd4 10.0–0 Best was 10.Nxd4!, e.g., 10...Nc5 11.Bb2, with equality dxe3! 11.Nb3 Ne5 12.Nxe5³ Qxe5 13.Bb2 Better than 13.Bxe3 Ng4 14.g3 Nxe3 15.fxe3 Be7! Qh5 14.Rae1 Be6 Black should quickly conclude development, says Fritz.15.Rxe3 Bd6 16.h3 .0–0–0 17.Nd4 Rhe8 18.Rfe1 Qa5 19.Nxe6 fxe6 Not 19...Rxe6? because of 20.Bf5! 20.Bxh7 Nxh7 21.Qxh7 Qxa2 Missing the equalizing 21...Bb4! 22.Qxg7 Bc5!

The turning point of the “war.”

23.Rf3 Rg8 24.Qe5 Qxc4 25.Qxe6+ Qxe6 26.Rxe6 Rd1+ 27.Kh2 Rd2 28.Be5 Bxf2 29.Rf7 Re2! Controlling his seventh rank for a winning attack 30.Ref6 Bh4 31.Rf8+ Rxf8 32.Rxf8+ Kd7 33.Bg3 Be7 34.Rb8 b5 35.h4 a5 36.h5 Bg5 37.Rg8 Bc1 38.Rg6 Re6 39.Rg7+ Re7 40.Rg6 Rh7 41.Rd6+ Ke7 42.Rxc6 Rxh5+ 43.Kg1 Bb2 44.Be1 If 44.Rc2 Ba3! b4 45.Kf1 Rb5 46.Ra6 Kd7 46...Ba3 might be quicker, says Frit: 47.Bh4+ Kd7 48.Ra7+ Kc6, with a big lead 47.Ke2 Rd5 48.g4 Kc7 49.Bf2 If 49.Bd2 Bd4, and Black surges ahead Bc3 50.Be3 b3 51.g5 b2! 0–1

Apparently, both England and China selected their pet players to take part in the friendly match between the two rival countries—one an old “has-been” and the other a new, fast-rising giant.

England had 27-year-old Jovanka Houska and 20-year-old Gawain Jones, both of them IMs, while China had 13-year-old WGM Hou Yifan and 17-year-old GM Wang Hou.

Both Houska and Hou fared poorly while Wang and Jones fared well as shown in the final standings.

• G. Jones (2526) - Hou Yifan (2523)
Rd. 2, French Tarrasch (C03)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bd3 c5 7.c3 b6 8.Qe2 a5 9.0–0 Ba6 10.c4 Nc6 11.cxd5 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nb4 13.Qe4 exd5 14.Qg4 0–0 15.Rd1 Kh8 16.Nf1 Nc2 17.Rb1 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Qxd4 Bc5 20.Qxd5 Nxe5! 21.Be3 Of course not 21.Qxe5 because of 21...Qxd1! Qxd5 22.Rxd5 Bxe3 23.Nxe3 f6 24.f4! Ng6 25.g3 Rab8 26.Rc1 Kg8 27.Rc7 Rfc8 28.Rdd7 Rxc7 29.Rxc7 Rd8 30.Rb7 Rd3 31.Nc4 Rd4 32.b3 32.Nxb6 will allow Black to equalize: 32…Rd1+ 33.Kg2 Rd2+ 34.Kf3 Rxb2 Rd1+ 33.Kg2 Rc1 34.a4 Rc2+ 35.Kg1 Rc1+ 36.Kf2 Rc2+ 37.Kf3 Rc3+ 38.Ke4 Rxb3 39.Rxb6 Rc3 40.Kd4 Rc1 41.Nxa5 Rc2 42.Nc4 Rxh2 43.Rb2 Rh1 44.Ra2!

The ideal set-up, with the rook behind the passed passed.

44…Ne7 45.a5 Nc6+ 45...Rd1+ was better but White would still be leading: 46.Kc5 Rd7 46.Kc5 Nxa5 47.Rxa5 h5 48.Ne3 h4 48...g5 won’t alter the outcome: 49.fxg5 fxg5 50.Kd4! 49.gxh4 Rxh4 50.Nd5 Kf7 51.Kd6 Rh1 52.Ra7+ Kg6 53.Ne7+ Kh5 54.f5 Re1 55.Ra2 Re5 56.Rh2+ Kg5 57.Rh7 White misses his best shot, 57. Rg2+, but Black resigns just the same, realizing it is a hopeless fight: 57…Ra5 58.Rxg7+ Kf4 59.Ke6 Ra6+ 60.Kf7! 1–0

In a clash between titans, the higher-rated, more experienced English superstar prevailed.

• M. Adams (2724) - Ni Hua (2681)
Rd. 3, Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Qc7 5.d3 a6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.a4 a5 8.Be3 e5 9.h3 Bd6 10.Nd2 Be6 11.b3 Nd7 12.0–0 f6 13.Nc4 Bxc4 If 13...0–0–0 14.Ne2 14.bxc4 White now has the edge g6 15.Qg4 0–0–0 16.Rab1 Rdf8 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.Rb3 Bf8 19.Bd2 Rg7 20.h4 h5 21.Qh3 g5 22.hxg5 fxg5 23.Qe6 Re7 24.Qf5 Bh6 25.Rfb1 g4 26.Bxh6 Rxh6 27.Qg5 Rf6 28.Rxb7!

Black decides to give up two rooks for a queen and a pawn in a bid to expose the enemy king.

28…Qxb7 29.Rxb7 Kxb7 30.Qxh5 g3 31.f3 Rg7 32.Nd1 Re6 Not 32...Rf8 because of 33.Ne3 Kc7 34.Nf5! 33.Qh8 33.Ne3 Ree7 might be quicker Ree7 34.Ne3 Rh7 35.Qd8 Nb6 36.Nf5 Rd7 37.Qg8 Nxa4 38.Qxg3 Ka6 39.Qxe5 Rb7 40.g4 Rb2 41.Ne3 Missing 41.Qd6 Rb6, and White is winning Rb1+ 42.Kg2 Nb6 43.Qxc5 a4 44.Qa3 Better and faster was 44.Qxc6, e.g., 44...a3 45.Qd6 Kb7 46.Qxa3 Rhh1 45.c5 Rbg1+ 46.Kf2 Ra1 47.Qb2 Nd7 48.Qd4 Nb8 49.Qd8 49.e5 Kb7 50.e6 Na6 51.Qd7+ Nc7 was also playable Rhb1 50.Nc4 Fritz says 50.g5 was more decisive: 50...Kb7 51.g6! Rb5 51.g5 Black resigns although the best shot for White was 51.Nb6, e.g., 51...Ra2 52.d4 Rxc2+ 53.Ke3 Rb4 54.Qxb8 Rc3+ 55.Kf4! 1–0

Strangely enough, the following game between the amazons proved sharper and livelier.

• Ding Yixin (2278) – K. Arakhamia (2418)
Rd. 6, Sicilian Scheveningen (B83)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 Nf6 7.0–0 Be7 8.Be3 0–0 9.f4 e5 10.Nb3 a5 11.a4 Nb4 12.Bf3 Be6 13.Kh1 Qc8 14.f5 Bc4 15.Rf2 d5!? Initiating a counterattack to exploit 16.exd5 Rd8 16...Qxf5? won't work because of 17.d6 Bxd6 18.Qxd6 Nxc2 19.Bd1, with White ahead by a mile 17.Bb6!

The best defense is offense

17…Rxd5 18.Nxd5 Nbxd5 19.Nxa5 Nxb6 20.Bxb7 Qc5 21.Bxa8 Qxa5 21...Qxf2!? is worth looking at, says Fritz 22.Bf3 e4 Not 22...Nxa4?? because of 23.b3 Qc5 24.Rxa4! 23.Be2 e3 24.Rf4 Bxe2 25.Qxe2 Qe5 26.Rff1 h5 27.a5 Best was 27.g3 Ne4 28.Qxe3! Na8?? Fritz suggests 27...Ng4, e.g. 28.g3 Qd5+ 29.Qf3 e2 30.axb6 exf1=R+ 31.Rxf1 Qd2, with equal chances 28.a6 Ng4 29.g3 Qxb2 29...Bc5 would be bad: 30.Qf3 Qe8 31.Rfe1, with White way ahead 30.Qg2 30.h3 Nf2+ 31.Kg2 Ne4 also favors White Nc7 31.a7 Nf2+ Not 31...Qc3 because of 32.Ra6! Nf2+ 33.Rxf2 exf2 34.a8Q+ Nxa8 35.Rxa8+ Kh7 36.Qxf2! 32.Kg1 Bc5 33.a8Q+ Nxa8 34.Rxa8+ Kh7 35.Qf3 Ng4 36.Qe2 Bd4 37.Ra4 Bb6 38.Re1 Qc3 39.h3 Nf6 40.Rd1 Qe5 41.Kg2 41.Rf4 Kg8 42.Kh2 Bc7 was also Qxf5 42.Qd3 Qxd3 43.cxd3 Nd5 44.Re1 g5 45.Kf3 f5 46.Rc1 g4+ 47.hxg4 hxg4+ 48.Ke2 Kg6 49.Rc6+ Kg5 50.Ra6 f4 51.Raxb6 Better than 51.Rcxb6 f3+ 52.Kd1 Nxb6 53.Rxb6 Kf5 54.Rb5+ Kf6 f3+ 52.Kf1 1–0

PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Will Wesley make it?

WHEN the Asian Continental Championship games begin on Wednesday in Cebu, one question lingering in everybody’s mind will be: will Wesley make it?

Since earning his first GM norm, IM Wesley So, who turns 14 next month, has failed twice to achieve the desired results—in the First GMA Cup at the Duty Free Shop in Parañaque City in November last year and in the Philippine Open in Subic last April.

Wesley was only 11 years old when he tied for the gold medal with three others in the World Under-12 Age Group Championship held in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2005. One of the boys he outplayed there was a Ukrainian whiz kid.

• Illya Nyzhnyk - Wesley So
Rd. 7, Closed Sicilian (B23)

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.d3 g6 4.Be3 d6 5.Nge2 Bg7 6.g3 b5 7.Qd2 b4 8.Nd1 Rb8 9.Bg2 Nd4 10.0–0 e6 11.f4 Ne7. 12.g4 Nxe2+ 13.Qxe2 0–0 14.f5 exf5 15.gxf5 gxf5 16.Nf2? Better was 6.Bg5, e.g., 6...h6 17.Bh4 Ng6 Missing 16...Bxb2! 17.Rae1 Be5! 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Kh1 Bxb2 19.Rab1 Be5 20.Ne4 Qh4 21.Bf3 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Rbe8 23.Qg2 f5 24.Bxf5 Bxh2 Best was 24...Kh8! 25.Bg5 Restoring the balance Qh5 25...Qg3 26.Qd5+ Kg7 27.Bxg6 Kxg6 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 should equalize 26.Qxh2?? Losing his initiative. 26.Bg4 was much better Qxg5!

27.Bxg6 hxg6 28.Qxd6 Kg7 29.Rxf8 Rxf8 30.Qd7+ Rf7 31.Qh3

Rf4 31...Qd5+ was better 32.Rg1 Qd5+ 33.Rg2 Rf2 0–1

In the next game, the country’s foremost prodigy takes on a highly rated 20-year-old WGM from China in the Singapore.

• Wesley So (2165) - Zhao Xue (2478)
Sicilian Najdorf (B93)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.a4 Be7 9.Bd3 0–0 10.0–0 exf4 11.Kh1 Nc5 12.Bxf4 Bg4 13.Be3 Rc8 14.Qd2 Bd7 15.b4 Nxd3 16.cxd3 d5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bg4 18...Re8 19.Bd4 equalizes, says Fritz 19.Ne5 Bh5 20.Nc4 b5 If 20...Bf6 21.Rab1 21.Nb6 Rb8 22.a5 f6 If 22...Bd6 23.Bc5! 23.Rac1 Bf7 24.Bf4 Bd6 25.Bxd6 Qxd6 26.Rc6 Qd8 27.Qf4 Re8 28.Qg3 Rb7 29.d6 Be6 30.Rfc1 h5 31.Rc7 Rxc7 32.dxc7 Qd4 33.Qe1 Kf7 34.Qc3 Qxc3 35.Rxc3 Bc8 36.Rc1 Rh8 37. Re1 h4 38.h3 38.d4 might be more precise f5 39.d4!

The final nail: 39…Re8 40.Rxe8 Kxe8 41.Nxc8! 1–0

Wesley, then only a 12-year-old Fide master, makes short shrift of Australia’s No. 1 GM in last year’s Dato Arthur Open in Kuala Lumpur.

• Wesley So (2330) - Ian Rogers (2548) [C10]
French Defense (C10)

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nc3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4 6.Ne2 f6 7.Ng3 f5 8.c3 Be7 9.h4 0–0 10.Bd3 Nb8 11.Ne2 c5 12.gNc6 13.0–0 13.Bg5 gives Black a chance to equalize: 13…Qb6 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 cxd4 Missing his best short, 13...Qb6! 14.cxd4 Bd7 15.Ne1 Qb6 16.Kg2 a5 16...Nxd4!? is an interesting idea, Fritz suggests, citing 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 19.Bxe4 Bxe5! 17.Bb1 Rf7 18.f3 Raf8 19.Bc2 h6 20.Ba4 g5 21.fxe4 fxe4 22.Rxf7 Rxf7 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.b3 c5 26.Be3 Bb5 27.Nc3 cxd4 28.Qxd4 Qb8 29.Nxb5 Qxb5± 30.Bf2 Qe2 31.Qe3 Qb2 32.Rd1 Qxe5 33.Rc1 Qf5 Restoring the equilibrium 34.Rc8+ Kg7 35.Nc2 e5 36.Rc7 If 36.Re8 g4, with equality Kg6 Missing 36...d4 which could have led to equality 37.Rc6+ Bf6 37...Kg7 was the equalizer 38.Rd6?? A blunder. Best was 38.Qe2 Rh7 39.g4 Of course not 39.Rxd5 because of 39...Qh3+ 40.Kg1 Qh1#! Qxg4+ 40.Qg3 Qh5 41.Kf1 d4 41...Qh1+ should be tried 42.Qxe5 Qh3+ 43.Ke1 Qc3+ 44.Kd1 Rh1+ 45.Be1 Rxe1+ 46.Nxe1 Qa1+ 47.Kd2 Qc3+ 48.Kd1 Qa1+ 49.Kd2 Qxa2+??

The fatal blunder. 49...Qc3+ was the refutation

50.Nc2! Mate is not too far away 1–0

In my view, disappointment should strengthen one’s resolve to do better next time. I for one believe Wesley is made of stern stuff.

I foresee Wesley going through some rough patches in Cebu but in the end his determination and will to win, backed up by endless hours of study and a clear vision of the board will propel him on to victory.

Go get that norm, Wes!

MY FAVORITES
Mickey makes it look easy

ENGLISH superstar Michael Adams has done it again, emerging as the top scorer of the British team in its match against the Chinese in Liverpool soon after topping the Fifth Howard Memorial Tournament in London.

As predicted, he performed a bit better than former world title challenger Nigel Short, England’s foremost child prodigy two decades ago. Both, however, performed below par in Liverpool.

Mickey stands out as a player in his ability to make winning look so easy that his games can be used as models in teaching chess.

• M. Adams (2724) - Hou Yifan (2523)
Rd. 6, UK-China Match, Liverpool 2007
Sicilian Scheveningen (B84)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.0–0 White is clearly ahead in development Be7. 8.a4 Qc7 9.a5 Locking up the Q-side 0–0 10.Be3 Nbd7 11.Nb3 b5 12.axb6 Nxb6 13.Qd4 Guarding c4 and threatening the invading knight Nbd7 14.Rfd1 Ne5 Wasting yet another tempo 15.Qb6 With his superior position and more mobile pieces, White forces the exchange of queens by also attacking the isolated a-pawn Qxb6 16.Bxb6 Bb7 17.f3 Nc6 18.Ra4 Denying the knight access to b4 and keeping an eye on the isolani h6 A waiting move 19.Kf1 Rfc8 20.Bf2 Rcb8 21.Bg3 Rd8 22.Rda1 Rab8 23.Nd1 A strategic retreat to guard the b2 pawn in order to free the pinned knight Bc8 24.Na5 Nxa5 25.Rxa5 e5 26.Bxa6 Finally the isolated pawn falls, clearing the way for White’s pieces Be6 27.b3 Nh5 28.Ne3 Allowing the enemy knight to take the bishop and saddle him with doubled pawns, but enusring that he is still ahead in tempi Nxg3+ 29.hxg3 Bg5 30.Ke2 The point, activating his king toward the center g6 31.Bd3 Bxe3 32.Kxe3 Mickey demonstrates that the king can be an active participant in defense and offense f5 33.Ra7 Control of the seventh rank fxe4 34.Bxe4 Bf7 35.R1a6 Rb4 Better was 35...g5, but White would still be winning 36.Rc7 Safeguarding his pair of pawns Rd4 won’t be of much help, says Fritz 38.c3! Rd1 39.Ke2!

Zugzwang! Any move Black makes would lose. Try it out on the board! 1–0

• M. Adams – V. Kramnik
Rd 3, MTel Masters, Sofia .2005
Petroff Defense (C42)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0–0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0–0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5 Qxd5 Equalizing 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.Bg3 Bf6 17.Nd2 Qa5 18.Qc1 Bxd4 19.cxd4 Nxd4 20.Bc4 Nc2! 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Rb1 Re1+! 23.Qxe1 Forced Nxe1 24.Rxe1 Kf8 After the smoke clears, one can see that mathematically, the two sides are about equal 25.Nf3 f6 26.Rd1 Qc5 Missing 26...Qa4 27.Be2 c5 28.h3, with equality 27.Bf1 Ke8 27...Qxa3 28.Bxc7 Qa4 29.Bd6+ Kf7 30.Rc1 should equalize, says Fritz 28.Nd4! Bd7 29.Rd3 a5 30.h3 b5 31.Nb3 Qxa3 Restoring the equilibrium 32.Bxc7 a4 33.Bd6 Qb2 34.Nc5 a3? Premature. Fritz suggests 34...Bc6!? 35.Re3+! Kf7 36.Nd3 Qb1 37.Bxa3 Be6? 37...Bf5 was safer38.Nf4 b4 39.Bxb4! Qxb4 40.Nxe6 g6 41.g3

The final nail: 41…f5 42.h4! 1–0

• Judit Polgar (2677) - Michael Adams (2716) [C89]
Rd. 6, Dos Hermanas, Spain 1999
Rus Lopez, Marshall Attack (C89)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d5 Launching the Marshall Attack 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d3 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Re4 Qf5 16.Nd2 Qg6 17.Re1 f5? 17...Bg4 18.f3 Bf5 19.Ne4 should equalize 18.Qf3 Kh8 19.Bd1 f4 Equalizing 20.g4 h5 20...Nf6 21.h3 Bd7 keeps the balance 21.h3 Nf6 22.Qg2 Missing her best shot, 22.Qxc6!, e.g., 22…hxg4 23.Qxa8, and White has a huge lead hxg4 23.hxg4 Bxg4 23...Nxg4! 24.Bf3 Bd7! was stronger 24.Re6! Qh5 25.Bxg4 Nxg4 26.Rxd6 Rae8 27.Ne4 Not 27.Rxc6 because of 27...Re1+ 28.Nf1 f3! Ne5 28.f3 Nxf3+ 29.Kf2 Nh4 30.Qh1 g5 31.b4 g4 32.Bb2

A critical position has been reached, with both sides resorting to double-edged moves.

32…g3+! 33.Kg1 Nf3+ 34.Kg2 Nh2.35.c4+ Kg8 36.Qd1?? A mistake that ruins a clearly superior position, says Fritz. Best was 36.Kg1 f3+ 37.Kxg3 Qg4+ 38.Kf2 Qh4+ 39.Ke3 Qf4+ 40.Kd4 Qe5+ 41.Ke3 Ng4+ Of course not 41...Qxb2?? 42.Qg1+ Qg7 43.Rg6! 42.Kd2 Qxb2+ 43.Qc2 Qxa1 44.Rg6+ Kh7 45.Rxg4 f2! It’s Black’s game: 46.Rh4+ Kg6 47.Rg4+ Kh5 48.Rg5+ Kh4!, and the checks end there.0–1

CHESS MAGIC
Kasparov’s inimitable wizardry

AS the World Championship featuring eight of the currently strongest international grandmasters shifts into high gear in Mexico City, one wishes that the likes of a Tal, a Fischer or a Kasparov were there to enliven the games.

Of the three, I would prefer former world No. 1 Garry Kasparov not just for his brilliance but, more significantly, for his inimitable wizardry—that is, his derring-do plus accuracy in calculations and supreme creativity.

When it comes to daringness and risky play, Tal could be the best of the lot. For originality, Fischer may be the choice but for generalship and finesse, I’d vote for Kasparov.

In wizardry, all three belong to the same level—almost, anyway. However, the fact that Kasparov had the longest reign among them and who maintained his No. 1 standing even long after he had virtually relinquished the throne, should swing the scales in his favor.

Furthermore, he is the only player ever to reach Elo 2851, in July 1999 and January 2000.

The best gauge would be the magical quality of their games, and I believe Kasparov has no peer in this regard.

Reigning champion Vladimir Kramnik may have wrested the classical crown from Kasparov in a match in London but the year it took place, 2000, was a difficult time for the older Russian.

During his heyday, Kasparov was nearly invincible, as these two games between the two great rivals would show.

• G. Kasparov – V. Kramnik
Novgorod 1994
Sicilian Pelikan & Sveshnikov (B33)

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 Nf6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0–0 12.Nc2 Rb8 13.h4 Ne7 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Bd3 d5 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.0–0–0 18.Ne3 Qe6 equalizes e4 19.Be2 Qxa2 20.Qh6 Qe6 21.Nd4 Qb6 22.Rh3 Kh8 23.Bg4 Rg8 24.Ne6 Best was 24.Be6! Rg7 25.Rg3 Rxg3 26.fxg3! Rg6 25.Qf4 Re8 Fritz suggests 25...Bd5 26.Nd4 b4 26.Rd6 Nd5 27.h5!!

The start of a brilliant combination nine moves deep.
27…Nxf4 28.hxg6 Qxd6 29.Rxh7+ Kg8 30.gxf7+ Kxh7 31.fxe8=Q Nxe6 32.Bf5+ Kg7 33.Qg6+ Kf8 34.Qxf6+ Ke8 35.Bxe6 Qf8?? 36.Bd7+!! Beautiful! 1–0

• Vladimir Kramnik - Garry Kasparov [E92]
Munich 1994
Classical Kind’s Indian (E92)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 6...c5 7.0–0 should equalize, says Fritz 7.d5 a5 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Na6 10.0–0 Bd7 11.Nd2 Nc5 12.b3 Nfxe4!! 12...c6! was the equalizer, says Fritz.

Leaving his queen en prise in a deeply conceived combination.

13.Bxd8 Nxc3 14.Qe1 Rfxd8 15.Rc1 Nxa2! Black equalizes 16.Ra1 Nb4! Mounting a counterattack 17.Bd1 If 17.Qc1 c6 e4 18.Rb1 Re8 19.Qe3 f5 20.h4 Rf8 21.g3 Rae8 22.Kg2 Nbd3 23.Rg1? 23.Bc2! was better f4 24.gxf4 Rxf4 25.h5 g5 Fritz prefers 25...Re5! 26.Rf1 Rh4 27.Rh1 Rf4?? 27...Nf4+ 28.Kg1 Nh3+ 29.Kf1 should keep his lead 28.Rf1 Ref8 29.f3 Rh4 30.fxe4 Nf4+ 30...Rxf1 seems even better, says Fritz 31.Kg1 Ncd3 32.e5?? Best was 32.Nf3 Rg4+ 33.Kh1 Nxe5 32...Bxe5 is more decisive 33.Rc1 Rh3 34.Nf3 g4 35.Nxe5 Rxe3 36.Nxd7 Nh3+ 36...Bd4 is more precise, e.g., 37.Bxg4 Rg3+ 38.Kh1 Rxg4 39.Rg1 Bxg1 40.Rxg1 Rxg1+! 37.Kg2 Rxf1 38.Kxf1 g3 39.Kg2 Nf4+! Mate looms in the distance. 0–1

• G. Kasparov – V. Anand
Rd. 10, World Ch. Match, New York 1995
Open Ruy Lopez (C80)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 d4 10...Be7 11.Bc2 should equalize 11.Ng5 dxc3 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.bxc3 Qd3 14.Bc2 A stunning move that threatens to trap the enemy king.

17…Qxa1 18.Bxe6 Rd8 19.Bh6! Qc3 Not 19...gxh6 20.Qh5+! Ke7 21 Qf7#! 20.Bxg7 Qd3 21.Bxh8 Qg6 22.Bf6 Be7 23.Bxe7! Qxg4 24.Bxg4 Kxe7 25.Rc1 c6 26.f4 a5 27.Kf2 a4 28.Ke3 b4 29.Bd1 a3 30.g4 Rd5 31.Rc4 c5 32.Ke4 Rd8 33.Rxc5 Ne6 34.Rd5 Rc8? Best was 34...Rxd5 35.f5 Rc4+ 36.Ke3 Nc5 37.g5 Rc1 38.Rd6! There is no refutation, e.g., 38…Kf8 39.f6! Rxd1 40.Rxd1 1–0

GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
Wang Hao’s double-edged style

IT looks like Beijing’s “investment” in its young, sharply tactical prodigy, Wang Hao, is starting to pay off. In the China-British match, the 18-year-old grandmaster who ranks No. 7 in China took top honors along with three comrades.

Wang has progressed so rapidly during the past few months that he will likely be one of the top favorites when the Asian Continental Championship games begin on Wednesday at the Cebu International Convention Center in Cebu City.

In fact, in his last international outing, in Liverpool for the China-United Kingdom match last week, Wang Hao won top honors along with three other Chinese superstars.

Even at a young age, he already showed the sharp but double-edged attacking style that has distinguished him from his contemporaries.

Born in 1989, Wang Hao was only 16 years old and still untitled when he caught international attention by topping major tournaments in the region.

His first major victory was at the Dubai Open in 2005 where he scored 7.0 points from nine games, finishing ahead of 53 grandmasters and 30 international masters from all over the world.

Next he romped off with the plum in the tough Dato Arthur Tan Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur, scoring a phenomenal 10 out of 11 games and finishing ahead of some of the top stars in the region.

As a result, Beijing has been sending him to international events so he could gain experience.

Wang Hao has under his belt wins against other young global superstars like Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine, who holds the world record of being the youngest to win the GM title.

• Wang Hao (2215) - Magnus Carlsen (2450)
Rd. 5, World Youth, Halkidiki 2003
Sicilian Defense (B31)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7 8.Be3 e5 8...Qb6 9.Rb1 would have equalized 9.Qd2 h6 10.0–0 Qe7 11.a3 Nf8 12.b4 Ne6 13.bxc5 f5 14.exf5 gxf5 15.Qe1 0–0 16.d4 e4 17.Ne5 f4 Best was 17...Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxe5, with equality 18.Ng6± Qf7 19.Nxf8 Kxf8 19...Qxf8 20.Nxe4 b6 21.cxb6 axb6 22.Qc3 gives White the edge 20.f3 20.Nxe4 should boost White’s lead, e.g., 20…Qg6 21.Nd6 b6 22.cxb6 axb6 23.Nxc8 Rxc8 24.Qb4+! Kg8 21.fxe4 Qg6 22.Rd1 fxe3 23.Qxe3 Bd7 24.Kh1 Re8 25.e5! Ng5 26.Qd3 Qh5 27.Ne2 White surges on Be6 28.Ng3 Qh4 29.Qe3 Nf7 30.Rf4 Qg5 31.Ne4 Qg6 32.Rdf1 h5? 32...Kh8 was better but White would stay ahead 33.R1f3 Fritz suggests 33.Rf6, e.g., 33...Bxf6 34.Nxf6+ Kf8 35.Nxe8 Bd5 36.Rxf7+ Kxf7 37.Nd6+ Qh6 34.Rg3 34.Qf2 might be quicker Kh8 35.Qf2 Nxe5? 36.dxe5 Bxe5 37.Rg5 Bxf4 38.Qxf4 Bd5 39.Nf6 Bxg2+ 40.Kh2!

White has a number of threats, including 41.Rg8+! Rxg8 42 Qxh5#! 1–0

• T. Oral (2565) - Wang Hao (2456)
Rd. 11, 36th Olympiad, Calvia 2004
French Tarrasch (C07)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0–0 Nf6. 8.Re1 Nc6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Rxe4 Be7 11.Nxd4 e5 12.Bf4 exf4 Not 12...Nxd4 13.Bxe5 Qg6 14.Qxd4, with overwhelming advantage 13.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 bxc6 15.Rde1 Kf8 16.Rxe7 Be6 17.R1xe6 fxe6 18.Rc7 h5 19.Kf1 Better than 19.Bxe6 Re8 20.Rf7+ Kg8 21.Re7+ Kh7 22.Bf5+ Kh6 23.Rxe8 Rxe8, and Black is way ahead Rh6 20.Rxc6 Rd8 21.Bd3 Ke7 22.Ra6 Rd7 23.Ra5 h4 24.h3 g6 25.Ra6 g5 26.Ke2 Kf6 27.b3 Rh8 28.Bc4 Re7 29.Rc6 Rb8 30.a4 Rb6 31.Rc8 e5 32.Rf8+ Kg6 33.Rg8+ Kf5 34.a5 Rd6 35.Rf8+ Rf6 36.Rb8 e4 37.a6 Rd6 38.Rb5+ Kf6 39.Rd5 39.Rb7 Red7 40.Rxd7 Rxd7 favors Black Rxd5 40.Bxd5 Ke5 41.c4 Rd7 42.Bb7 Rd3 43.b4 Rb3 44.b5 Kd4 45.Bd5 Rb2+ 46.Kd1 e3!

The end: 47.fxe3+ fxe3! 0–1

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
1973 US Open

WE wrote a few columns ago that Anton Paolo del Mundo, a former junior standout from Ateneo de Manila University, tied for first in this year's U.S. Open Chess Championship. Seven people tied for first: GM Boris Gulko 2576, GM Sergey Kudrin 2543, IM Ben Finegold 2543, GM Alexander Shabalov 2637, GM Michael Rohde 2450, IM Michael Mulyar 2373, and Paolo del Mundo 2296. GM Gulko was declared champion on tie-break.

A question was raised whether Paolo was the first Filipino ever to tie for first in the US Open. I wasn't sure then but now I have verified that IM Ruben Rodriguez accomplished it first.

1973 US Open Championship
LaSalle Hotel, Chicago
12-24 August 1973

1-5 IM Norman Weinstein, GM Walter Browne, IM Duncan Suttles, Greg DeFotis, IM Ruben Rodriguez, 10.0/12

6-13 Eric Bone, Milorad Boskovic, Paul Brandts, Craig Chellstorp, Leroy Dubeck, GM William Lombardy, IM Salvatore Matera, 9.5/15

Total of 778 Participants

IM Norman Weinstein had the higher tie-breaks and so he was declared US Open Champion. He should not be confused with another International Master, Raymond Weinstein. The latter was among America's top players in the early ’60s but developed a mental illness around 1964 and had to be institutionalized.

The younger Weinstein made his name a decade later, in the 70s, but then retired at the peak of his form to pursue a very successful profession as a currency trader.

Ruben Rodriguez had just arrived in the States, and this was his first major success. There was also a 5-minute competition held during the tournament called the U.S. Open Blitz Chess Championship, and Ruben won this as well.

Ruben stayed in the States for a few years and got a reputation as a difficult opponent for the reigning US Champion Walter Browne, who was at the peak of his form but couldn't seem to handle Rodriguez' amorphous style. For example, in 1974 Walter Browne joined the inaugural staging of the People's Open in Hayward with the intention of going down in the history books as the first champion of this popular open, but Ruben defeated him and took first place.

Rodriguez,Ruben - Browne,Walter S (2530) [B99]
People's Open Hayward, 1974

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Bg5
During the 70s the Sicilian Defence Najdorf Variation with 6.Bg5 was the most popular opening in chess history by a wide margin. This verdict was obtained by merging together all existing game scores and doing a chess tree. The alternative 6.Be3 was introduced into public consciousness when GM Robert Byrne used it as his main weapon in the 1971 Alekhine Memorial tournament. Since then more and more players have taken it up and right now it has already displaced 6.Bg5 as no.1.

OK, here is some trivia. Robert Byrne popularized it, but who is the first one to use the Najdorf 6.Be3 in an international event? Surprise! IM Rodolfo Tan Cardoso in his game vs Jaroslav Jecek in the 1956 Moscow Olympiad.

6...e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0–0–0 Nbd7 10.Be2

Among the alternatives 10.g4, 10.Qg3, 10.Bd3 and 10.Be2, the text move is the least popular. It was secret analysis by Keres vs Fischer in the 1959 Candidates match-tournament where the great Estonian had prepared a queen sacrifice against the most obvious reply 10...b5. Fischer found the best defence and gradually outplayed Keres to win. Rodriguez and Browne follow the famous game up to a certain point.
10...b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6
[11...Bxf6? 12.Bxb5!]
12.e5
This is it, no turning back now.
12...Bb7 13.exf6
Giving up the queen was Keres' original idea. White is not necessarily obliged to do this. I remember in the 1974 Manila International tournament the Danish chess legend Bent Larsen tried 13.Qg3 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nd7 15.Bf3 (15.Qxg7 is answered by 15...Qxe5 and White has no advantage whatsoever) 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 g6 17.f4 Qb7 18.h4 0–0–0 Black is OK. The game result had nothing to do with the opening. Larsen,B (2630)-Portisch,L (2645)/ Manila 1974 1–0 (57).


13...Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bxf6

During the 1972 Skopje Olympiad the Scotsman Denman tried to save the rook against Finland's Rantanen and played 14...Rc8? He was routed after 15.fxe7 Qb6 (15...Qxe7? 16.Nf5! splat!) 16.Rhe1 h5 17.f5 e5 18.f6! g6 (18...exd4 19.fxg7 Rg8 20.Nd5; 18...gxf6 19.Nf5 Kd7 20.Ne4!) 19.Rxe5! dxe5 20.Bc6+ 1–0 Rantanen,Y-Denman,B/ Skopje olym 1972.
15.Bxa8 d5 16.Bxd5 Bxd4
[16...Qxf4+ 17.Kb1 Bxd4 18.Bc6+! Ke7 19.Ne2; 16...exd5 17.Nxd5 Black's position is dangerous. Here is an example: 17...Qc8 18.Rhe1+ Kf8 19.Nxb5! axb5 20.Nb6 wins]
17.Rxd4 exd5 18.Re1+ Kf8
White has the initiative, but once Black manages to free his rook then he would have the better of it.
19.Nxd5 Qc5 20.c3 g6
Until here the two players had been duplicating the moves from Keres vs Fischer. Black's priority was obviously to activate his rook, and here the American chose 20...h5 21.f5 Rh6! 22.f6 gxf6 23.Nf4 h4 24.Rd8+ (better 24.Re2 ) 24...Kg7 25.Ree8 Qg1+ 26.Kd2 Qf2+ 27.Ne2 Rg6 28.g3 (28.Rg8+ Kh6 29.Rh8+ Kg5) 28...f5 and now black is winning. Keres,P-Fischer,R/ Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade Candidates' 1959 0–1 (53).
The reason why Browne did not go for this was because of Zagoryansky's analysis, which maintains that 20...h5 21.Re5! is at least equal for White.

After 21...g6 22.f5! Kg7 23.f6+ Kh6 24.g4 Black is in trouble. In fact, if 24...g5? 25.h4! wins immediately.
21.Re5 Kg7 22.g4 Qc8?
Best was to bring out the rook right away with 22...Rc8. Take note that 23.Ne7 is not possible because of 23...Qxd4.
23.f5 Re8?
The second consecutive mistake. 23...Rf8 saves a tempo.
24.f6+ Kh8 25.Re7 Kg8
[25...Rxe7 26.fxe7 Qe6 27.g5 White will play Nf6 followed by Re4]

26.Nc7! Rf8
[26...Rxe7 27.fxe7 the pawn queens]
27.Rdd7 g5 28.Ne6! Qxd7
[28...fxe6 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Rxh7+ Kg8 31.Rdg7#]
29.Rxd7 fxe6 30.Rg7+ Kh8 31.Rxg5 Rxf6 32.h4
Have you ever seen Ruben Rodriguez play blitz chess? He was the Philippines' top blitzer for many years. Once the endgame is reached he is like a machine, churning out move after move instantaneously and with deadly accuracy. In the current position he is only one pawn up, but it is enough.

32...Rf4 33.h5 b4 34.Kc2 bxc3 35.Kxc3 h6 36.Rg6 Kh7 37.Rxe6 Rxg4 38.Rxa6 Rg5 39.Rg6! Rxh5
[39...Rxg6 40.hxg6+ Kxg6 41.a4 The a-pawn queens first and watches h1]
40.Rg3 Rc5+ 41.Kb4 Rc2 42.Kb3 Rc1 43.a4 h5 44.Kb4 Kh6 45.Kb5 h4 46.Rg8 Rc7 47.b4 Rg7 48.Rc8 h3 49.Rc3 Rg5+ 50.Ka6 h2 51.Rh3+ Rh5 52.Rxh2 Rxh2 53.b5 Kg5 54.b6 Rh6 55.a5 Kf5 56.Ka7 Ke6 57.b7 Rh7 58.Ka8 Rh5 59.a6 1–0
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, September 10, 2007.

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD
COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
Atlantic Open

PAOLO DEL MUNDO is having a really great summer with shared first places in each of his last three tournaments and they were big ones: the World Open Under 2400, the US Open Chess Championship, and now the Atlantic Open. With the latest tournament Paolo's USCF rating goes past 2400, qualifying him for the title of US SeniorMaster.

2007 Atlantic Open
Wyndham Washington Hotel
24-26 August 2007
1-4 IM Benjamin P. Finegold 2543, Anton Paolo del Mundo 2296, IM Mikhail Zlotnikov 2367, Chris Mabe 2240, 4.0/5
5-11 GM Mark Paragua 2525, Marc Tyler Arnold 2246, FM Macon Shibut 2305, FM Ilye Figler 2321, IM Oladapo Adu 2294, Mark Heimann 2270, Shinsaku Uesugi 2154, 3.5/5
Total of 47 participants
Mark Paragua was in the leading group (3.5/4) before the last round and was paired against his childhood friend Paolo del Mundo. A Paragua win meant clear first, but as in their previous contests, the two of them were great friends off the board but ferocious competitors over it.
Here is what happened.
Del Mundo,Paolo (2296) - Paragua,Mark (2525) [A12]
Atlantic Open (5), 26.08.2007
1.g3 d5 2.Bg2 c6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.c4 e6 5.0–0 Nd7 6.b3 Ngf6 7.Bb2 Bd6 8.d3
Well, what did you expect? Here is Paolo, fresh from a 2-year chess hibernation, and sitting across the board is a fully booked-up GM. He goes back to the double fianchetto attack of his junior days which has always served him in good stead.
8...0–0 9.Nc3
Most white players prefer to move this knight to d2 instead of c3. There are two reasons: (1) to keep watch with his bishop over the long diagonal a1–h8, and (2) to recapture on f3 with the knight if Black exchanges there.
9...Re8
Both players have been breezing through their moves and miss a subtlety to take advantage of White's inaccurate 9th move. Better is to play 9...Qe7 because his rook might be needed to push his f-pawn. Here is an instructive game by the under-rated Argentinian GM who has won a board 1 olympiad gold medal: 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 d4 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 f5 14.Bg2 e5 Black is already better. Now he winds up things nicely. 15.e3 dxe3 16.fxe3 Qg5 17.Rf3 Rad8 18.h4 Qg6 19.Qc2 Nc5 20.d4 e4 21.Rf4 Nd3 22.Kh2 Bxf4 23.gxf4 Qg4 24.Bc3 Qxh4+ 25.Kg1 Qg3 26.Qd2 Nxf4 0–1 Haik,A (2440)-Campora,D (2440)/ Pancevo 1985.
10.Rc1 Qe7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qc2
Since White plans to advance his e-pawn, it is good preparation to get the queen out of the diagonal d1–h5. Besides, later when Black pushes his e-pawn a hole would be created on f5 and he would like to be able to play Nf3-h4-g5.
12...h6 13.e4 dxe4 14.dxe4 e5 15.Nh4
There! Didn't I tell you?
15...Bg6 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Rcd1 Rad8 18.h4! Nc5 19.Bh3 Ne6 20.Ne2
Mark has been out-generaled. The doubled pawns on g6 robbed him of his usual counterplay with ...f7-f5.
20...Nc5 21.b4 Ncd7 22.c5 Bc7 23.Nc1 Nh7 24.Rd2 Ndf6 25.Rfd1 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 g5 27.Ne2!
After ...gxh4, gxh4, the white knight wants to be able to go to f5 via g3.
27...Qf7 28.Qb3 Qxb3 29.axb3 gxh4 30.gxh4 Nf8 31.f3?!
More accurate was 31.Ng3 immediately. Why? You will see in the next move.
31...Ng6
See? Now the h-pawn cannot be protected. However, Paulo's better space control allows him central play.
32.h5 Nxh5 33.Bd7!
Taking advantage of the Black knight's absence on f6.
33...Re7
[33...Rd8 34.Be6+ Kf8 35.Rxd8+ Bxd8 36.Bc8 b6 37.Bd7 does not save the pawn]
34.Bc8 b6 35.Bd7 bxc5 36.bxc5 Ba5 37.Bc3? Bxc3
Wrong. He should have played 37...Ng3! 38.Nxg3 (38.Bxa5? Nxe2+ 39.Kf2 Nd4) 38...Bxc3 39.Rd6 Bd4+ with a very strong position for Black.

38.Nxc3 Kh7? 39.Bf5!
Mark expected White to just take the pawn, and after 39.Bxc6 Rc7 40.Rd6 Ne7 everything is equal.
39...Rb7
[39...Rf7 is met by 40.Rd6 Rf6 41.b4 a6 42.Ne2 the king is threatening to stroll up the board and attack the h5 knight, so black's next move is forced 42...Nhf4 43.Nxf4 exf4 44.Kh2 the king goes up the h-file nevertheless and wins the f-pawn and the game.
40.Rd6 Nhf4 41.Rxc6 Rxb3 42.Nd5
Black loses a piece.
42...Rb1+ 43.Kf2 Rb2+ 44.Ke1 Ng2+ 45.Kd1 N2h4 46.Rxg6 Nxg6 47.Ne7 Rb5 48.Bxg6+ Kh8 49.c6 Rc5 50.Bf7 a5 51.Ng6+ Kh7 52.Nf8+ Kh8 53.Bd5 1–0

The reporter for Chess Life wrote that Mark and Paolo come from the same school. That is not quite correct - the two went to the same school district, which is Quezon City. Paolo went to Ateneo, while Mark took his studies in St. Francis. They teamed up in the NCR Palaro when they won the right to represent Quezon City. They became champions on their first pairing.
If what was meant was same chess school, then that would be Milo Checkmate. They were both members of the program when they were young.
As chess players, they have a rivalry since they were kiddies. But then out of the board, they are, as the article mentioned, long-time friends.
By the way, Mark is on the crossroad of his chess career. He is seriously considering to be part of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) team. This was the same school Paolo went to after graduating from Ateneo High School.
The UMBC Chess Team has bragging rights as the best chess school in the United States, having won the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship 6 times. They achieved the peak of dominance in the 2002 competition, where they fielded two teams, and the Team "B" won the crown, with Team "A" tying for second place with their great rival University of Texas-Dallas (UTD).
But here is the important part: the University offers chess-player scholar awards for applicants coming directly from high school in the top 10% of their graduating class with SAT > 1400 and USCF rating > 2000. These awards include up to full four-year tuition, room and board, with the amount of the award depending on the qualifications and competition. There is no limit on the number of scholarships offered, and foreign students are eligible for these and for all other awards. Over four years, the current value of this award is over $98,000.
This is the purpose of Mark's visit - having recently married, he has realized that a college education is imperative, and he went to Washington to make a formal application. Once Mark gets his admissions papers done, then he will be able to enter UMBC, because the coach Alan Sherman would try to help him get into the program as long as he meets the minimum requirements.
Does this mean that Mark Paragua will stop representing the Philippines in international competition? We don't know yet, but that is a definite possibility.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was fist published in BusinessWorld on Friday, September 14, 2007.

Martinez’s nemesis wins Albacete Open
GM Vladimir Burmakin of Russia has won the Albacete Open in Spain, finishing at the helm of a field of 108 players.

Burmakin robbed Milan-based Filipino IM Rolly Martinez of the first prize in the Bratti International in Italy last month.

Rolly was leading the pack alone after the penultimate eighth after earning his first GM norm, but lost to the Russian in the ninth round.

15-year-old Croatian girl gets WGM title
LARA STOCK, a pretty 15-year-old blonde from Croatia, has won her woman grandmaster’s title in the tough Trieste Masters in Italy, which was topped by former Dutch champion Sergei Tiviakov.

Despite being one of the youngest participants, Lara finished ninth with 5.5 points in a tie for seventh to 11th.

GMs Tiviakov and Vladimir Baklan of Ukraine, both rated at Elo 2648, finished with 7.0 points each from nine games, but Tiviakov won on tiebreak.

In solo third was another 15-year-old, Italian IM, Fabiano Caruana, with 6.5 points..

Dutch IM Willy Hendriks, Slovenian IM Jure Borisek and Georgian GM Bagaturov tied for fourth to sixth with 6.0 each.

FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Estimo uncooperative, says Abalos

IN reply to charges aired by NCFP executive director Sammy Estimo against his own organization in a statement published here last week, Willie Abalos, who said he felt alluded to, laid the blame squarely on the doorsteps of his arch critic.

“I sought his cooperation but he did not give it,” Abalos said when asked in a telephone interview to give his side.

He recalled that during the preparations for the Philippine Open held last April in Subic, NCFP boss Prospero “Butch” Pichay had asked him to seek the cooperation of Estimo in laying the groundwork.

“I went to him and asked him to go with me to Subic, but he did not show up when the appointed time came,” Abalos said, adding that it was Atty. Ed Legasp who went with him to Subic.

He also claimed that Estimo and company attended board meetings only when the networking scandal was being discussed.

As regards his own role, Abalos explained that all he had been doing was in his capacity as chairman of the NCFP committee on tournaments.

Asked about the ongoing series of executive chess tournaments being held by the so-called Estimo faction, Abalos replied, “That’s all right.”

In a press release, he had also been quoted as saying in a statement to the media:

“Contrary to claims of disgruntled individuals, the NCFP is not a rudderless sports boat.

“In fact, the NCFP is very active in the promotion of chess all over the country as proven by the staging of numerous local and international tournaments with lucrative cash prizes.”

He cited the First GMA Cup last year, the International Open in Subic and this week’s Asian Continental Championship.

The NCFP press statement explained that Abalos had been “tasked by Pichay and (secretary-general Abraham) ‘Bambol’ Tolentino to handle day-to-day operations of the association.”

Apropos all this, The Weekender is calling on both sides to settle their differences within the NCFP. By squabbling publicly, they would only be driving away their supporters, particularly would-be sponsors, and putting chess in disrepute.

As the Good Book puts it, “A house divided against itself will collapse.”

As I see it, all this fuss could be due to only to amor propio.

Let them, then, bury the hatchet not in each other’s skull but safely under the ground, and then smoke the peace pipe together or even drink a toast to country, goodwill and camaraderie.

Gens una sumus!
—0—

I WELCOME the report that highly rated IMs Ronald Dableo and Darwin Laylo have been allowed to play in the Asian Individual Championship as part of the negotiated settlement of cases arising from their suspension over the so-called networking scandal.

This should pave the way for a reconciliation within the NCFP ranks and be followed up with concrete steps aimed at unity at all levels.

It’s high time the federation settled issues like the awarding of NM titles and implemented GM Bong Villamayor’s proposed chess development program.

Chess quote
“Every chess master was once a beginner.” —Irving Chernev

The Weekender

Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager
Published every weekend
NOT FOR SALE!

And yes, I need to go. This posting I did was a good excuse not to go with my wife to the grocery store and wait in line for years. And since she's done and been in front of my face for the last 10 minutes, I better switch my notebook off and head out The Children's Library Imus Cavite. To the people of Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, thank you for the wifi services.