Ex-De La Salle coach tied for first in US chess tourney

By: Marlon Bernardino

Former De La Salle Lipa, Batangas coach John Renan Lumbera emerged as co-champion in the Temecula Chess Club Open tournament held in Temecula, California, USA, over the weekend.

In the final round of the 7-round Swiss system tournament, the seventh-seeded Lumbera yielded to second-seeded Scott Roods. This prevented Lumbera from winning the title outright.

Top seed Vadim Kudryavtsev caught-up with the Quezon Province native Lumbera at the top of the standings after beating 12th seeded Dereck Williams in the last round. Kudryavtsev took the title due to higher tie-break points over Lumbera. The two woodpushers finished with identical 6 points.

Roods, meantime raised his total to 5 points, the same output of Marius Lucan and Pedro Valdericeda. ~~~

GM Mark Paragua Wins Washington Chess Congress

photo caption: (from Filipino-Canadian Jelvis Calvelo)

At left is GM Mark Paragua and First Filipino Canadian National Master NM Rupert Frilles Jr. (right) in a souvenir photo in the just ended 4th Annual Washington Chess Congress last October 6-9, 2017, at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, USA.

GM Mark Paragua won $1,000 in Washington Chess Congress

Filipino Grandmaster Mark Paragua failed to win the coveted title but didn't go home empty handed when he received the $1,000 prize money by topping the Mixed Doubles category along with team mate US player Rachana Bhanuprasad.

The native Bulacan  GM Paragua tallied 4.5 points in the Open section while Bhanuprasad notch 5.5 points in the Under 1300 section of the 4th Annual Washington Chess Congress last October 6-9, 2017, at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, USA.

Iranian GM Elshan Moradiabadi took the crown in the Open section after accumulating 6.0 points to pocketed the champion's purse $3,100.

Tied for 2nd to 4th placers are GM Timur Gareyev, GM Denis Kadric and IM Praveen with  5.5 points marker. Each of them received $933.34.

At solo 5th placer is Liran Zhou with 5.0 points, good for him to won the top under 2300 award for $1,400.

Overall, GM Paragua finished in a tie for 6th to 10th place with FM Jennifer R Yu, FM Akshita Gorti, Andy Huang and Jeffrey L Quirke.

 

Bhanuprasad,on the other hand, settled 2nd to 4th place in the Under 1300 section with Anish M Mariappan and Pracheth Godlaveti.

John Sandberg is the Under 1300 champion with 6.0 points for the top prize $1,000. (Marlon Bernardino)

FORMER RTU MAINSTAY NATIONAL MASTER JULIUS SINANGOTE IS 2017 NM ENGR. ROBERT ARELLANO CHESS CUP CHAMPION

photo caption: sitting at the right side is former Rizal Technological University (RTU) mainstay National Master Julius Sinangote , the 2017 National Master Engineer Robert Arellano Chess Cup Champion last Saturday, October 28, 2017 at the famous Chess Training headquarters in Asinas Street, San Juan.

Final Standings: (Single Round-Robin Format, Three Minutes plus two seconds increment, Blitz)

FORMER Rizal Technological University (RTU) mainstay National Master Julius Sinangote flashed his old deadly form winning the prestigious  National Master Engineer Robert Arellano Chess Cup last Saturday, October 28, 2017 at the famous Chess Training headquarters in Asinas Street, San Juan.

Sinangote, showed his mastery in three miinutes plus two seconds increment, Blitz format garnered a total of 15 points output enroute the coveted title backed up by Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-based National Master Engineer Robert Arellano in this one-day event, using Single Round Robin Format.

John Lee settled second place with 14.5 points followed by National Master Ali Branzuela who notch 13.0 points for third place.

Rounding up to the top ten place are 4th place Paul Anthony Sanchez (12.0 points), 5th place Ricardo Jimenez (11.5 points), 6th place Genghis Imperial (11.0 points), 7th place Reggie Mel Santiago (8.0 points), 9th place Marc Simborio (7.0 points) and 10th place Mark Russel Salera (6.0 points). 

Meanwhile, according to National Master Engineer Robert Arellano , he support the chess activities in Chess Training headquarters as part of chess camaraderie of the chess players.

He also pointed out our untitled players or non-master chess players have a chance to play with our chess masters. Grandmaster-elect Ronald Dableo and Woman National Master Christy Lamiel Bernales already joined in the past tournaments at Chess Training headquarters . -Marlon Bernardino-

EX-EARIST PLAYER AND NOW CHESS TEACHER IS CONCEPCION DOS CHESS CLUB CHAMPION

FORMER Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (Earist) top player Narciso Gumila Jr. (left) received the top prize of P800 from  Concepcion Dos Chess Club President Arlito Celis (right) after winning the Concepcion Dos Chess Club non-master chess tournament last Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 37 Crimson street Bonita Homes Concepcion Dos in Marikina City.

Final Standings: (Six-round Swiss System format, 15 minutes time control event)

5.5 points---Narciso Gumila Jr. 

5.0 points---Ruel Sto. Domingo, Jimson Linda 

4.5 points-Jan Roldan Oriendo

4.0 points---April Joy Ramos, Givy Barlome , Mark Kenneth Lomio, Cris Advincula, Lito Celis

3.5 points---Bobby dela Paz, Jonathan Trajano

FORMER Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (Earist) top player Narciso Gumila Jr.topped the Concepcion Dos Chess Club non-master chess tournament last Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 37 Crimson street Bonita Homes Concepcion Dos in Marikina City.

Gumila, now a chess teacher of Makati Hope Christian School, tallied 5.5 points, unbeaten in the six-round Swiss System format, 15 minutes time control event.

He defeated Jimson Linda in the final round enroute to the coveted title plus the top prize of P800.

Ruel Sto. Domingo, winner over April Joy Ramos, for his part, won via superior tiebreaks  to fellow five pointers Linda and grab the runner-up honor.

Domingo received P400 while Linda didn't go-empty handed with P300.

In other matches saw, Jan Roldan Oriendo crushed Bobby dela Paz, Mark Kenneth Lomio walloped Denden Cruz, Givy Barlome nipped Sol Tiamzon, Cris Advincula waylaid Marguel Soria, Lito Celis dealt Tutoy Teves and Jonathan Trajano whipped  Raffy Lobitana.

World Chess Federation (FIDE) arbiter Dubai-based Ryan Carandang, Concepcion Dos Chess Club President Arlito Celis, Vice president Johnson Abacan and tournament director Ranier Pascual led the closing rites.

Tournament director Ranier Pascual added that the next event will be on November 25 while an Open master division to schedule on December 9. (Marlon Bernardino)

JRS TATLUHAN CHESS TEAM TOURNAMENT ON SEPTEMBER 3

ALL systems go for the Cayetano "Jun" R. Santos Jr. team chess tournament dubbed as JRS chess tatluhan 1950 and below team tournament that opens on September 3, 2017 (Sunday) at the JRS Chess Club, Ampid One, San Mateo, Rizal.

Cayetano "Jun" R. Santos Jr. known "Chess God Father" in San Mateo, Rizal said teams competing are coming from San Mateo, Marikina, Montalban, Antipolo, Caloocan, Manila, Quezon City among others.

Santos added that the said event aims to provide an avenue for aspiring athletes to improve and develop their skills and talents. Titled players or chess masters can play and will man the top board and will be assisted by two untitled/non-master chess players. 

Registration fee is P1,200." said tournament director Jake Espinosa. 

With the theme "No to drugs, Yes to chess" the one-day chessfest offers P7,000 to the winning team and P4,000, P2,500, P1,500 and P1,000 for the second to fifth placers.

Category prizes also awaits the top board performer on Board One, Board Two and Board Three and Best Ampid player with P500 each. 

GM Mark Paragua tops 2015 Georgia State Championship

By Marlon Bernardino and Jolina Icao

 

GM Mark Paragua won solo first in the recently concluded five round 2015 Georgia State Championship in Atlanta. GA.   Visiting from New York, Paragua faced strong players from Georgia led by GM Alonzo Zapata, who wound up at third place with a loss to Paragua in the third round.  Paragua beat GM Alonzo in 27 moves of a Trompovsky. The Filipino grandmaster scored a total of  4.5 points.

 

Paragua also played with Ruifeng Li from Texas, rated 2530.  "My best game in the tournament was my fourth round game with Ruifen," said Paragua.  Playing black with a Sicilian Najdorf, Paragua made a speculative sacrifice and offered a rook to displace the queen, then sac a knight to open the king on the queen side followed by pawn sacrifice to open the diagonal for his queen.  Paragua won the game in 30 moves when Li resigned as he was about to lose his queen.

 

Li tied for second with 4.0 points with Daniel Gurevich, who being the top Georgia resident, was declared the Georgia State Champion.

 

"GM is playing like the good old days," said Herky del Mundo who invited Mark to play in the tournament, "Paragua crushed GM Zapata's play in 27 moves with a Trompovsky."  With the championship, Paragua's USCF rating rose to 2649.  Del Mundo noted that Paragua's quality of play nowadays rivals his younger times when his FIDE rating was 2616.  During the annual Georgia Chess Association meeting held in the same venue as the tournament, Del Mundo was elected as Secretary of the Georgia chess federation.-Marlon Bernardino and Jolina Icao-

 

[Event "Phillip Taylor 2015 Georgia State Championship"]

[Site "Board 1"]

[Date "4/25/2015"]

[Round "3"]

[White "MARK C PARAGUA (2646)"]

[Black "ALONSO ZAPATA (2532)"]

[Result "1-0 (white won)"]

 

 

 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 c5 3. d5 Ne4 4. Bf4 Qb6 5. Nd2 Nxd2 6. Bxd2 d6 7. e4a6 8. Bc3 Nd7 9. Nf3 Nf6 10. Nd2 Qc7 11. a4 e6 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Nc4b6 14. Qf3 Be7 15. dxe6 Bxe6 16. Ne3 c4 17. e5 Rc8 18. exf6 Bd8 19.Rd1 Qc5 20. c3 Qe5 21. Rd4 d5 22. Be2 Rc5 23. O-O h5 24. Rfd1 Bg425. Rxd5 Rxd5 26. Rxd5 Qe6 27. Qf4

PINOY NELSON VILLANUEVA IS BACK, TOPS MALAYSIA CHESS

by Marlon Bernardino

Final Standings:

8.5 points---NM Nelson Villanueva (Philippines)

8.0 points---Zulkifli Muhd Syazwan (Malaysia)

7.5 points---NM Carlo Lorena (Philippines), Michael Angelo Palma (Philippines) 

7.0 points---Nik Nik Ahmad Farouqi (Malaysia), Erowan Masrin (Malaysia), NM Stewart Manaog (Philippines), IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (Malaysia), WFM Camilia Johari (Malaysia), Wan Yusoff Wan Mohd Adli (Malaysia)

FIDE MASTER (FM) Nelson Villanueva once again is at the top of his game after winning the Zadano Kelantan Open Chess Championship 2015 last February 20 to 21 in Kota Bharu, Malaysia.

The native Bacolod City Villanueva who is best to remember spearheading the multi-titled Rizal Technological University (RTU) Mandaluyong chess team in a numerous National Capital Region-State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (NCR-SCUAA) chess title during his college days, actually was undefeated in this Nine Round Swiss-system World Chess Federation (FIDE) sanctioned rapid tournament with eight wins a draw in nine outings to received the top prize of RM 2,000 (Malaysian Ringgit).

Among his crucial wins that includes Abdul Jamil Nurul Aisyah (Round 1), Rokeman Nur Syahirah (Round 2), Jusoh Mohd Bakri (Round 3), Mohd Syaahil Hamid (Round 4) and Zulkifli Muhd Syazwan of Malaysia (Round 5), countryman NM Carlo Lorena (Round 6) and Nik Nik Ahmad Farouqi (Round 7) and Nik Hasan Nik Mohd Nazri of Malaysia (Round 9). Compatriot Michael Angelo Palma salvaged a draw with Villanueva in the eight and penultimate round.

The win boosted Villanueva's morale as he prepares to compete in the 15th Bangkok Chess Club Open on April 12 to 19 at the Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand.