Philippine Chess History Part 2

Hi! there all of you. Before we continue with Ms. Aida Sevilla Mendoza's articles 3 decades ago dealing with Chess History in the Philippines, I'd like to share some of the memories I have of 1983. I said some, OK? believe me, it would take us a month or so if I try to write them all down.

I was in Grade 1 for the last 3 quarters of the year. So that means to say I was showing off my skills among the teachers, parents and adults surrounding me. Parent-Teacher Conferences, endless consultations on how to "SUPPRESS" the "hyper activeness" (sobrang likot po ng anak ninyo! referring to me. ouch!) I have. Playing in the Maryan school quadrangle with my classmates and batchmates would really complete my day. Man! I miss the thrill of getting tagged by the enemy team members when we play "cops and robbers" during recess, lunchtime and dismissal, not to mention of course the never-seem-to-end children-remember-what-teacher-told-you speeches given by our classroom adviser upon our return to class. Geeh! Thank God I did all those stuffs when I was a student, at least I got a glimpse of how and when teacher looks more of a fool than cool.

Aside from those school-skill memories, I do remember the songs that plague the airwaves, at least my airwaves. Michael Jackson doing the duets with ex-Beatles Paul Mc Cartney, Stevie Wonder,Sir Paul Mc Cartney (again) and Michael Jackson doing The Girl is Mine. There is the twosome act of Air Supply songs. I know for sure that I only listen to the radio whenever adults would switch on that little box with a panel colored red and black handle called radio transistors. Yep! I wish to have those nostalgic gadgets in my place. It runs on a 4 Big Batteries (usually the red label ones, not the unending little rabbit drummer) plus of course those intermittent, often confusing RADIO STATICS. They don' make 'em like tha' used to anymoh! Radio Radio!

About chess? well, again, I was playing chess whenever there's an opportunity to do so, but aside from that, none at all. But chess in the Philippines in 1983? We had the 54th World FIDE Congress. Thanks to the souvenir program.

Guys, here's the 2nd part:

After Five Centuries: The Philippines is Chess Country
by Aida Sevilla Mendoza

The Spanish conquistadores who traversed the seas of the New World must have carried chessboards on board their ships. The game of chess in Arabic form, had been brought to Spain by the invading Moors from North Africa between 900 and 1,000 A.D. By the 16th century, the game had spread to other European countries and had developed in its present form with the introduction of six strategic defenses: checkmate, stalemate, pawn moves, castling and the extension of the bishop's and the queen's powers.

Chess historian Lara thinks that, at the beginning, chess was played in the Philippines mostly by the Spanish clergy, nobility and well-to-do. There is hardly any mention of chess in historical writings on the Philippines under Spanish rule, but Lara notes that in "Noli Me Tangere," which was written around 1887, the author and Filipino patriot, Jose Rizal, mentions a game of chess between the novel's hero, Crisostomo Ibarra, and Capitan Basilio. "Of course", Lara continues, "the late Dr. Fernando Canon, Rizal's friend and contemporary, used to narrate that the national hero played excellent chess while staying in Europe. Rizal must have learned the game during his sojourn in Heidelberg, the city of chess-playing citizens."

When the United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War and took over the Philippines, Canon, who was an insurgent general during the resistance against the Americans, joined the new government and was appointed director of public works. Lara says that Canon sought to popularize chess, encouraging youngsters to learn the game and organizing chess matches. He did this during his spare time, assisted by Don Jose Sequera and by chess-loving American soldiers, teachers, and businessmen, including Alvah Johnson, who was to become Philippine Champion.

Together with Alva Johnson and ten other chess enthusiasts (Adolfo Gutierrez, Ismael Amado, Olimpio Julio, Luis Cucullu, Jose Rocha, Dr. Gavino Sepulveda, Juan Mencarini, Luis Perez Samanillo, Sulpicio Beltranand Jose Warren), Canon organized the "Club de Ajedrez". The club set up individual matches and tournament sand later became the Philippine CHess Association.

One of its noteworthy achievements, wrote Lara, was a telegraphic match arranged with hongkong. The Filipino team was composed of former Supreme Court Justice Delfin Jaranilla, Adolfo Gutierrez and Ismael Amado. Amado had earlier earned a distinction as a student in New York when he won first prize in a rapid transit tournament held by Manhattan Chess Club.

Gutierrez, who was national chess champino, managed the CLib de Ajedrez and organized exhibition matches in Manila, including a series of games between himself and Datu Alip, the chess champion of Lanao. (by thenthe Muslims had mastered the modern version of the game, thanks to Mayor Salvador Barros of the Philippine Constabulary who introduced international chess to the people of Lanao when he was assigned there.)

The Club de Ajedrez also had national and metropolitan championship tournaments, but these activities declined after a fire destroyed the club's quarters in the Cosmopolitan Club Building at the foot of Sta. Cruz Bridge.

According to Lara, by 1932 Adolfo Gutierrez's hold on the national chess title was being challenged by a 14 year old Ramon Lontoc Jr. The young prodigy proved his mettle when Dr. Alexander Alekhine, then the world chess champion, stopped over in Manila during a tour of the Far East. Alekhine played exhibition games in Manila at the invitation of Ismael Amado, who had met him in new York. The Philippine Carnival Association, YMCA, and Casino Espanol jointly sponsored two exhibition games, one a blindfold session and the other a simultaneous play. Young Lontoc played the first game with Alekhine. Although the boy lost the match after 56 moves, the world champion praised Lontoc as a "genius of the defense".

In 1933...

(to be continued)