Breaking the 2700 Barrier

Congratulations to GM Wesley So for placing second in the Reykjavik Open with a rating performance of 2753. This is the first time for any Filipino to reach and breach the 2700 rating.  Another feather in the cap, another milestone reached that gives Philippine chess the needed shot in the arm.

Now go and finish that Webster University education.  Finish it so that you will truly become a model for the Filipino youth!

Try-Out for UP Varsity Chess Team

Here is an announcement I found over at Facebook:

Try-out for UP Varsity Chess Team

8:00 AM, UP College of Human Kinetics

For Graduating High School Students/Incoming College Freshman ONLY.

Coursera: ADHD Through the Lifespan

This just in: "Pay Attention" ADHD Through the Lifespan by Anthony L. Rostain of University of Pennsylvania. This is one of the Coursera course I'll be participating in and I hope to finish the course.  The course reviews current scientific knowledge and clinical approaches to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and examines its impact on development, functioning and health outcomes.

An intro to the course:

1st Philippine Brain-based Conference

BrainFit Philippines is hosting the 1st Philippine Brain-based Conference on March 25, 2013 at Centro Escolar University Auditorium (CEU), Mendiola, Manila. The conference starts at 1 and will end by 5 in the afternoon. Keynote speaker is Martha S. Burns, Ph. D. and she will talk about "Brain Fitness, The Key to Learning Success in Children."

For a preview of what to expect and probably to learn from the conference, here is a TEDx video of Dr. Martha S. Burns:

For the additional  information, posters and registration, drop me a line or two on my comment box so I can send you it to you by email. You may also visit the following link: http://brainfitph.blogspot.com.

Free Download: Memoirs of an Anti-Apostle

Here is a copy of the book Memoirs of an Anti-Apostle which according to Amazon,  is said to be:

"A dramatic account about a Communist who purposely enters the Catholic priesthood (along with many, many others) with the intent of subverting and destroying the Church from within. Tells of his commission to enter the priesthood, his various experiences in the seminary, and the means and methods he used and promoted to help effect from within the auto-dissolution of the Catholic Church. Absorbing and compelling reading from beginning to end. The author explains how she found the information on this Communist-priest and why she decided to publish those findings. Helps to explain much of what has happened to undermine the Catholic Church today."

I've heard about this book in 1996 but never really had the money to buy and order online, I had to settle myself to reviews and comments found on the internet. Two weeks ago, when I've decided I'm willing to shell out $25 for the ebook, that's when I found a free download in one of the ebook hosts scattered online.

So here it is:

The Memoirs of an Anti-Apostle by buenaventura_f_a

When Knights and Bishops Play

I run out of cubits for my two ChessCube accounts and so when I saw my brother-in-law's account while he was asleep, I played chess using his and the result is this. My bro has more than five thousand cubits and he hardly plays, how could he gain so much without playing? Hhhmmm!

And the onto the game. Although the queen gave the final blow, it was the play of knights and bishops that allowed the queen to do its job.

Let's watch.

Unstoppable double attacks

I noticed a pattern tonight. I will play against a new opponent and I would lose every first game that I'll play with them. Then I'll win 2 or more consecutive games with one basic yet unstoppable tactical theme, double attacks.

The starter:



The two wins after an awful defeat. First with black and then with the white pieces:

 

National Age Group Chess Championship-Luzon 2013

National Chess Federation of the Philippines has announced the Luzon leg for this year Age Group Chess Championship and it will be March 3 to 6 at the Capitol Gymnasium of Malolos City, Bulacan Province.

Please read the following documents for the tournament rules and regulations, registration form and NCFP membership form. You can download and print these forms for free.

2013 National Age Group Luzon Leg Rules Regulations 

2013 National Age Group LUZON LEG Registration Form 

NCFP Membership Form 

62nd Edition of 1st Saturday Chess Tournament

The 62nd edition of the 1st Saturday Chess Tournament organized by Don Bosco Chess Club and Paranaque Chess Association is happening on March 2, 2013.

Details:

1st SATURDAY NON –MASTER 1950

62th EDITION ACTIVE CHESS TOURNAMENT

The tournament is open to all untitled and rated players whose NCFP rating shall not exceed 1950 below.  4TH FLOOR PEREZ BLDG. DOÑA SOLEDAD AVE, COR AUSTRALIA ST.BETTER LIVING SUBD.PARANAQUE CITY.Near (SM bicutan) infront of index salon.

GUARANTEED PRIZES 

CHAMPION - PHP3,000 PLUS TROPHY TOP ELEMENTARY - PHP300 PLUS TROPHY

2ND PLACER - PHP2,000 PLUS TROPHY TOP HIGH SCHOOL - PHP500 PLUS TROPHY

3RD PLACER - PHP1,000 PLUS TROPHY TOP COLLEGE – PHP500 PLUS TROPHY

TOP LADY - PHP500 PLUS TROPHY

TOP SENIOR - PHP500 PLUS TROPHY

REGISTRATION FEE: KIDDIE - PHP150.OO STANDARD FEE: PHP250

FOR REGISTRATION PLEASE CONTACT:

DR. BONG PEREZ (383-4996) (8066462) (09197227552)

CECIL PADUA (09228418251) TONTON (384-1884) Mario(09326144563).

CAUP Chess Officiating Seminar

Good news!

The Chess Arbiters Union of the Philippines will have their first arbitration seminar on February 22-24, 2013.

Details:

• Venue at the Alphaland Southgate Mall, Makati City beside the MRT Magallanes station
• The three-day seminar is open to all coaches, public and private school teachers, amateurs, professionals or individuals who want to learn the rudiments of proper officiating in chess tournaments. 
• Well-known international arbiters Poliarco and Rolando Yutuc and other noted FIDE and national arbiters will spearhead the lecturers and facilitators. Topics include the FIDE Laws of Chess, regulations for Swiss system tournaments, FIDE rating systems, manual and other pairing systems, rules of Chess 960 or Fischerandom chess, varied tournament time controls, determination and awarding of norms and titles, among other topics aimed to equip the attendees with scientific and in-depth know-how of chess arbitration.
• Seminar fee is pegged at P2,200 which will include manuals on FIDE Laws of Chess, other handouts, certificate, CAUP ID and snacks.
• The seminar is limited to 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. For details, please contact Mr. Miles Samaniego 7812483 or Mr. Alex Dinoy 0922 8288510 or you may register on-line at CAUP secgen2.18.12@gmail.com.

Six-Pawn Phalanx Attack

Here is a game I won against a Belgian player. This was my fourth win against five losses and I run away after this game. I'd rather end my chess blitz session on a winning note than lose all my cubits. This win I really think is a lucky win. If I'll post the nine games we had, you will see how much my opponent pushed me around.

My opponent, nil2, was bringing all our games outside of the usual opening patterns and I kept losing my way into the middle game. Looking into the opening of this game, we'll be surprised how the white's pawn phalanx allowed me to penetrate black's king side. With the Q-B-B-N pieces attacking together, black didn't have a choice but to give up the queen.

For a moment I thought my attack would be stopped and defended because of the black knight's threat to my white queen. In fact I had to lose precious seconds before I continued with the attack.

So this is something I can say a treasure for tonight's chess.

Let's watch.


 

Meteorite hits Russia

News websites around the world are showing us the properties destroyed and people injured by meteorites as it hit the Ural region of Russia. It caused panic in the three municipalities but ironically, the world governments are mum about the incident. Sounds like nobody wants this escalated into a worldwide panic.

But are the global leaders preparing the human race by its silence? Sadly, I feel not.

Is it the end of the world? Definitely not but the world will have to go on a CTRL-ALT-DEL mode an restart all over again. Will we be part of the human race that will enjoy one thousand years of Heaven on Earth? I don't know, only God will know this.

So here are some links and videos you might want to see.  It has been revealed and it has been written. Its all up to you to decide.

• Reuters Meteors hit Russia 
• Exploding meteor over Russia
• CNN Meteor blast in Russia

Windows shattered, people injured and one woman hospitalized because of a heart attack.

And its not really nice to hear these broadcasters say 'It's just a teaser guys, more to come."

The Game of the Century: Byrne-Fischer

The so-called Game of the Century usually refers to a chess game played between Donald Byrne and 13-year-old Robert "Bobby" Fischer in the Rosenwald Memorial Tournament in New York City on October 17, 1956, which Fischer won.

The time the game was played, Byrne was one of the leading American chess masters while Fischer was upcoming young master. MOst of the chess scholars and historians agree that having won this game, the way played and won the game, provided the young Bobby Fischer the confidence to rise up meteorically and become then, the youngest grandmaster that time at the age of 15.

Let's watch.

 

Basic Checkmate Pattern: Back-Rank Mate

This week I reached my highest rating so far on ChessCube with 2065. After four weeks of downward trend, no thanks to my internet lag, I have finally recovered from losing rating points and cubits.

Here is a game I played a couple of nights ago and it ended in a Back Rank mate. Back Rank mates fall under the "Basic Checkmate Patterns" and it really is a fundamental lesson to be learned by chess players.

What is a back-rank mate?  A back-rank mate is a checkmate delivered by a rook or maybe a queen along a back rank. A back rank on a chessboard could be the squares where the rows where the King and other pieces stand at the beginning of the game. It is also called corridor mate when it is given on the edge of the board, as in the a-file or the h-file.

Watch the game below:

Lenten Season 2013

It is Ash Wednesday today and I thank God for having the time, health and opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with my family.

The Lent is a season of prayer, fasting and offering sacrifice.

Although the announcement of resignation of Pope Benedict the 16th came a day before Ash Wednesday, the whole world awaits for the next pope.

Let us all pray for the leaders of the Catholic Church to have the courage to go against the tide of modernism and liberalism which leads humanity to self-destruction.

Let us all kneel down and pray.

Basic Checkmate Pattern: Scholar's Mate

Here is a game I never thought I'd play and win over at Chesscube. My opponent carried a higher rating than mine, his was 1948 and mine was 1850. Bullet games are frowned upon by the powers that be of chess but a game is a game and I'll take this win anytime. A bullet game is also known as 1-minute game, play to finish. I used five seconds to carry out this basic checkmating pattern, a four-mover. Here is the game below, I was playing with the white pieces.


 

A game like this is often found in a beginner's chess book and in many children's tournaments. These so-called "Kiddies" in Philippine chess is 14 and under which means players aged 14 and below are eligible to play in this tournament. The f7 square on the black side is the weakest square in the beginning or opening stage of the game. If we will look into the white side, then it would be the f2 square. To avoid losing a game this way, protect these squares at all cost. Remember the weakest squares on the chessboard in the opening, f2 for white and f7 for black.

You may visit this link for further explanation on the Scholar's Mate.