Saturday Morning Chess

I'm off to Merville Park to meet up with Shawn and play chess. It has been a busy two weeks for me as I had to work on my Action Research Class and bringing my two boys for their piano and basketball lessons.

Before I go, I'd like to share this position from the book 300 Most Important Positions and Ideas by GM Lev Alburt.

4th Isulong Mo Rapid Chess Tournament

4th “ISULONG MO!” RAPID CHESS TOURNAMENT
(Non-Master, HIgh School & Elementary Division)
08:30 a.m. June 17, 2012
3rd/F, Food Court, Alphaland Southgate Mall, Makati City
(Sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Phils. and FIDE Rated)

• The tournament is open to all non-titled chess players, but women titled players may join.
• The tournament is divided in three divisions, (Non-Master, High School & Elementary)
• Participants should present proof of age (e.g. birth certificate, government or school identification card)
• The tournament mode of play is (7) rounds Swiss system.
• Rate of play is 25 minutes per player to finish the game.
• FIDE Laws of chess, particularly the laws of RAPID shall govern the tournament.(Ground rules will be posted onsite)

A. NON-MASTER DIVISION
Champion P6,000.00 + Trophy
2nd Place 3,500.00 + Trophy
3rd Place 2,500.00 + Trophy 
4th Place 1,500.00
5th Place 1,000.00
6th -10th Place 500.00
Category Prizes:
Top College (1st) P700.00 + Medal
Top College (2nd) 500.00 + Medal
Top 1900 & Under 500.00 + Medal
Top 55 & Above 500.00 + Medal
Top Unrated 500.00 + Medal
Top Lady (1st) 500.00 + Medal
Top Lady (2nd) 300.00 + Medal

B. HIGH SCHOOL Division
Champion P2,500.00 + Trophy
2nd place 1,500.00 + Trophy
3rd place 1,000.00 + Trophy
4th place 700.00 + Medal
5th place 500.00 + Medal
Top lady 300.00 + Medal

C. ELEMENTARY Division
Champion P2,500.00 + Trophy
2nd place 1,500.00 + Trophy
3rd place 1,000.00 + Trophy
4th place 700.00 + Medal 
5th place 500.00 + Medal
Top lady 300.00 + Medal

Registration Fee : Non-Master – P250.00 / High School & Elementary – P200.00
• The first 100 early registrants on-site are entitled to a raffle prize every round.
• Number of participants will be limited only to 280 participants for both divisions.
• Participants who are wearing sandos and slippers are not allowed to join.
• For registration and inquiries you may contact the following tournament arbiters/organizers.

Chief Arbiter : International Arbiter ROLANDO YUTUC
NA GATZ LUZ: # 0999-9948059 NA ALFREDO CHAY: # 0908-7540888
NA ALEX DINOY: # 0922-828 8510 NA MILO SAMANIEGO: # 0932-4913833

In partnership with: alphaland southgate mall 
Tournament organizers:SICILIAN CHESS CLUB and the BASHAM GAMES and SPORTS SHOP

Floods After the Rain

CJ Corona was impeached the other day and the Filipino Nation is rejoicing!

Today was the last of two days for the workshop "Spotting and Handling Learning Difficulty in the Regular Classrooms" with me and Ms. Sonia. This year's workshop and seminar was very successful in so many ways.

The feedbacks from the participants were very positive and realistic. The teachers from the Special Education department of St. Andrew's School of Paranaque were relieved and hopeful at the same time. Relieved that the regular classroom teachers were receptive the entire workshop and hopeful that the learnings from this workshop carry-on in their classroom practices.

Also today, in the middle part of the day, the rain poured and it felt like it wouldn't stop.

And the floods all over Metro Manila.

How are we, as a nation, tolerate poor governance?

We impeached Corona and the whole nation says the process is working. We run after "suspected" thieves in government positions but they use the law to evade conviction, mocking all of us and screaming to their heart's content "catch me if you can!".

Ambo is the first typhoon to have arrived in the Philippines for the year 2012. Have we learned from the past? Did we plan, during the summer season, for the rainy days? Obviously, PNoy was busy running after CJ Corona.

Governance in the Philippines really sucks. The basic services that should be provided for the Filipino people have always sucked. Poor medical services, poor educational program, poor social security services and poor safety and security program.

But think about it, it's the Filipino people who vote for these crooks in the government.

Sad but true, these TRAditional POliticianS are getting richer every minute of their time their offices while millions of Filipinos are dying and suffering due to poor government services.

After each rain comes the floods not sunshine and this will go on forever unless we learn from history. The masses must know and the masses must learn but above all, the Filipinos should take action to lift their lives out of this vicious, often fatal, cycle called corruption.

Level Up Basketball Training Center

The Level Up Basketball Training Center is now on its third year of providing developmentally sound basketball training for players of all levels. The Level Up program was initiated by player turned coach Leo Molina.

Here is his personal letter which I requested for our blog post:


Level Up Basketball Training Center started January of 2010. Level Up started its first Module at the  Lourdes School of Mandaluyong Gym. Another training center was set up in RFM Gym in Pioneer Mandaluyong City and currently, we have the Beacon School Covered Court in Taguig City as our venue.

In the 2009 Palarong Pambansa-Tacloban City, I received the Palarong Pambansa Coach of the Year, Elementary Division. I was the very first recipient of this award this was very meaningful to me for two reasons: one, Tacloban is my father's hometown and I dedicate this award to him and second, receiving the award gave me the impression that I did something right in training my student-athletes become better students in and out of the classrooms and basketball courts.

Program planning was difficult because I wanted to create a developmentally-sound basketball program aimed at the Filipino player's physique and mentality. It took me about a year to come up with a program that considers the strengths and weaknesses of every child enrolling in it.

Several consultations were made prior to starting Level Up.  I consulted with PBA Alaska Aces Trainor Gus Vargas, where I was an understudy for a few months for the Team. PBA official doctor, Dra. Pie Aycardo, was also consulted. She was was my doctor and was very helpful in bringing me back from my basketball-related injury in 2010.

Level Up trains as young as 5 year old & Parent's who aspire to teach their kids the science of basketball and the values you can get from playing the game.

Level Up's mission-vision is to produce Student-Athletes that are responsible in their academic load too.

Level Up consistently produces student-athletes who plays UAAP, NCAA and other schools having a competitive basketball programs. The benefits are overflowing and the scholarship they get from these schools is just the icing on the cake.

Now Level Up is on its 3rd year, we are now looking into the addition of Module 3 to complete a year-round training and tournament program.    Hopefully, Level Up will produce more student-athletes and help more parents in getting their kids into sports.

If you want your game to be good, better or best, Level Up!


Coach Leo Molina
Founder

Seminar & Workshop @ St. Andrew's School 2012

I'll be in St. Andrew's School-Paranaque today and on Thursday with Ms. Sonia Mendoza to give another round of talk on Special Education. Ms. Sonia and I have been giving workshops and seminars since 2007  and somehow our tandem is working effectively.

For this year's edition, our topics will be more on Spotting and Handling Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classrooms. Although I've always been excited to do these endeavors, I feel I could have rested a bit more before plunging into action once more. Beacon School commencement happened last Friday with Mr. Jim Paredes of the APO Hiking Society gave the commencement speech on practical matters. I was glad he gave that kind of speech to our 8th graders. Going back to my previous statement, I wish this workshop could have been scheduled another week later. I never really had time to rest over the weekend as I needed to attend to personal stuffs.

But I'm ready, I'm just tired.

I haven't played online chess in a long while.

For today and on Thursday, I pray that everything will go smooth and that all of the participants, including us, will find it useful for in their classroom teaching.

Also, I think at 2 in the afternoon the the Senate Impeachment Court will resume and the buzz is that Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and his gang will be handing out their verdict over CJ Corona case. That CJ which showed the whole world the audacity to tell everyone this:

"The Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines wishes to be excused."

Because of this and the happenings right after he walked off the Earth, I mean walked out of the courtroom, he now is seen by the whole world as someone who used his medical condition to be excused from cross-examination. He also has become a member of the disgraceful "WheelChair Club" with former president GMA who used the wheelchair to show everyone that  they are sick and should not be bothered by these courtroom dramas.

Jessica Sanchez losses against an American, what the hell were you guys expecting? A non-American winning a contests for Americans? Please stop this craziness. And a video came out showing who strike first in the Raymart Santiago/Claudine Barreto-Ramon Tulfo fist fight over at NAIA. It was the couple's friend wearing a pink shirt.

And while all these TeleNovela is happening and satisfying the Filipino thirst for more comedies, the Philippines is doing badly in the Scarborough Shoal, no thanks to our government who would rather satisfy the demands of our foreign investors than promote our own interest.

Grace Lee continues to hug the limelight and Lourd de Veyra's shows continue to provide the only sane show in Philippine TV.

I need to go now before I forget, call time is 8 in the morning.

Pilipinas sa loob ng 48 Oras

Kaninang umaga, pagkagising ko naalala ko na mayroong Annular Solar Eclipse. Paalis na ko ng bahay ng dumating ang isang kapitbahay namin, may dalang solar glass at pinapagamit sa mga anak ko. Syempre ako muna ang sumubok at ang nakit ko ay ang simula ng eclipse. Medyo letter e pa lang ang nakita ko, yung pumuporma pa lang na matakpan ang araw ng isa pang bagay na pangkalawakan. Hanggang sa pagdaan ko palabas ng Southern  City subdivision, ang mga tila inaantok pang mga kapitbahay ko ay pawang mga nakatingala sa itaas. Karamihan ay mayroong hawak na film ng x-ray at ginagamit na panangga ng sinag ng araw sa kanilang mga mata.

Nakalimutan na ang buong kwento ng eclipse pagdating ko sa trabaho ko, sa paaralan kung saan ako ay nagtuturo ng Filipino sa mga Middle Schoolers. Gumawa ako ng mga kaukulang rebisyon sa mga marka ng grado ng mga estudyante ko hanggang magtanghalian. Medyo makulimlim pero sa gym ng paaralan namin, punong-puno ng saya at buhay. May nagtatakbuhan at may naglalaro ng basketball.

Sa kabilang banda, sa football field naman ay may grupo ng mga middle schoolers na pawis na pawis at tuwang-tuwang naghahabol sa isang bola ng football.

Walang gulo at puro saya ang buhay ng mga batang ito.

Nagayos-ayos ako ng mga gamit ko na iuuwi para sa nalalapit na summer break ng aming paaralan. Madami ang reading materials ko for summer. Mga IB publications at language learning activities and theories. Ok na ito at least bagong babasahin naman para sa akin.

Paguwi ko ng bahay at nanood ng balita, heto na puno ng balita tungkol kay Lady Gaga. Balitang nakakatawa at balitang nakakaasar.Lady Gaga, kahit anong sabihin nila, naniniwala akong isa syang naliligaw na kaluluwa at nanliligaw ng iab pang kaluluwa. Isa sya sa mga kampon ng demonyo. Sa kanyang mga awit at lifestyle, makikita natin na pawang kademonyohan ang kanyang dala.

May isang Obispo ng ating mahal na simbahan na nagsabi na kung sino man ang manood ng concert nya ngayong gabi, malamang siya ay kabilang gilid ng Kalangitan.

Ang masaklap nito, ang mga tinitingalang mga artista ang pangunahing nagsipila para sa concert. Oh di ba? Ang mga artistang ito na malakas ang hatak sa kaisipan ng mga kabataan ang siyang nagpapakita ng pagsuway sa sa kautusan ng simbahan.

Mabigat ito mga kumpadre.

Kaya nga ako at ang ilan sa mga kasamahan ko sa pagtuturo, buwisit na buwisit sa mga hinayupak na mga artista. Ang lalaki ng mga sweldo, ang sasarap ng mga buhay at ang lakas ng impluwensya sa pagiisip ng karamihan, sa kultura at sa kung ano ano pang mga bagay na may epekto sa buhay ni Juan de la Cruz.

Isa ang show business na mayroong malaking kinakaing porsyento sa mass media at hatak nito ang telebisyon, pelikula, internet, radyo, dyaryo at ilan pang mga babasahing materyal.

Mass media ang pinakamatinding kalaban ng edukasyon.  Magulo ito at lalo pang gumugulo.

Hanggang sa mga oras na ito, ang concert ni Lady Gaga ay nagpapatuloy at ang maraming tao na nagpo-protesta laban dito ay sumasabay din. Ang lupit di ba?

At bukas naman, si CJ Corona ay sasalang na sa impeachment court.

Solar eclipse sa umaga, Lady Gaga concert sa gabi at Impeachment Court bukas. Ang tindi ng Pilipinas.

At namamagitan sa mga ito ay ang Scarborough Shoal, ng umento sa sweldo at pagbaba ng presyo ng langis. kasama na rin ang balitang panghahalay ng isang German national sa ampon nilang mag-asawa. Nariyan din ang balitang Raymart at Tulfo at ang pagbubukas ng iskwela. At nariyan din ang balita at CCTV footage ng isang Panamanian national at Pinay na papasok sa condo ng banyaga sa disoras ng gabi, may laplapan pang ginawa ang dalawa sa loob ng elevator bago bumaba ang mga ito. Ngayon nasa Panama na ang banyaga at ang ating kaawa-awang kababayan ay umiiyak ng rape, humihingi ng hustisya.

Ano na nga ba ang patutunguhan ng Pilipinas? Nang Daigdig?

Magulo bro!

CCTV Footage of Filipina with Panama National

At lumabas ang video ng isa nating kababayan na nagrereklamo ng rape laban sa isang lalaking taga-Panama na mayroon daw diplomatic immunity. Matinding materyales ito pabor sa banyagang inirereklamo ng rape.

Simpleng logic lang mga kababayan ang kailangan natin dito at hindi ko na alam kung paano pa ipaglalaban ng grupong Gabriela ang kababayan natin. Ano nga ang kahulugan ng rape ayun sa ating batas? SA aking pagkakaalam, ang rape ay nangyayari kapag ang sexual act ipinilit lamang ng isang tao sa isa pa. Marami pang elemento ang napapaloob sa usaping ito at ang mga abugado ay maraming masasabi rito.

Isa lang ang nakikita ko dito, ang ating kababayan ay sumama sa condominium ng banyagang ito, nakita din sa CCTV footage na sa loob ng elevator ay naghalikan silang dalawa. Alas-onse ng gabi sila pumasok ng condo ng banyaga at lumabas ang babae ng mga magaal-una ng umaga. Hindi umiiyak ang babae, nakangiti pa nga ng siya ay kinausap ng lalake sa lobby.

Nasaan nga ba ang rape? Hindi ipinakita sa CCTV footage at sigurado ako na silang dalawa lang ang nakakaalam ng katotohanan. Marapat lamang na bigyan ng pagkakataon ang ating kababayan na marinig ang kanyang hinaing. Mali na ang sariling ahensya ng Pilipinas, DFA, ang magsasabi na maglalabas ng official statement na mayroong diplomatic immunity ang isang dayuhan na nahaharap sa kaso. Isang malaking sampal at dura sa lahing Pilipino ang ganitong gawain.
Kaya heto, panooring natin:

Pagtatapos ng Klase

Oo tama ang nabasa mong titulo ng post ko, pagtatapos ng klase. Pasensya na kung praning ang dating sa inyo, baligtad ang mundo ko. Habang ang karamihan sa inyo, mga nubenta'y kuwatro porsyento ng Pilipas, ay naghahanda na sa darating na pasukan ng klase ngayong Hunyo, ako at ang maliit na porsyento ng mga guro, mag-aaral at mga admistrador sa mga international schools dito sa Pilipinas ay naghahanda naman para sa aming summer break.

Sinusunod kasi namin ang tinatawag na Northern hemisphere school calendar kung saan ang bakasyon sa panahon ng tag-araw ay Hunyo hanggang Hulyo at ang balik-iskwela naman namin ay Agosto.

Halos tapos na ang panahon ng gawaan ng grades para sa aming mga estudyante. Natapagsumite na ang mga Middle School Years students ko ng kani-kanilang mga Summatives. Oo, summatives ang tawag namin sa mga major exams nila, at hindi ito paper and pencil test. Ang ibinigay kong mga requirements sa mga estudyante ko mula grades 6 hanggang grades 8 ay Video monologues kung saan kailangan nilang isalaysay sa wikang Filipino ang mga target vocab namin. Depende ito syempre sa klase.

Ang Grade 6 ay tungkol sa Pamilya at Kaibigan. Ang Grade 7 ay tungkol sa Serbisyo at Pamimili at ang Grade 8 ay tungkol sa Pamumuhay sa Pilipinas. Masaya ang aming mga units para sa ikatlong termino namin. At lalong masaya ang lahat dahil pagkatapos ng bukas, Biyernes, ika-18 ng Mayo, eh limang araw na lang bakasyon na kami. Oo, hanggang sa ika-25 na lang kami ng Mayo.

Masarap maging guro at lalong masarap maging guro sa iskwelahan na kung saan may sapat na resources para sa iyong pagtuturo.

Ang taong ito, 2011-2012, ay isang malaking rebelasyon para sa akin. Ngayong taon na ito kasi una ko naranasan magturo sa Middle School at unang beses ko rin naranasan magturo ng Filipino as a Second Language.

Masaya, hindi boring at lalong lalong nakakapagbigay buhay sa aking pagiging Filipino. Kaya nga nagpapasalamat ako sa mga tao na naisipang kunin akong Filipino Teacher mula sa pagiging Permanent Reserve Teacher ko sa PYP.

Oo, medyo bago ang mga acronyms na binabanggit ko sa inyo. Ang PYP naman ang ibig sabihin nito ay Primary Years Program. Ang MYP, PYP at DP at mga programa na isinusulong ng IBO o yung tinatawag na International Baccalaureatte Organization na ang punong opisina ay matatagpuan sa Geneva, Switzerland.

Kung hindi pa dahil sa Kursong Filipino ay di ko malalaman na ang salitang Filipino na "sa" ay isang napaprolific at felxible na salita. Ang "sa" ay mayroong siyam na gamit, kung ano ang mga iyon, sa ibang post ko na lang sasabihin.

O sya, kaya ko nga pala nasabi ang mga ito kasi tapos na ko gumawa ng grades at nakapaglaro ako ng 20-minute games sa ChessCube ngayong madaling araw. Dalawang laro, dalawang panalo. Yung unang panalo ko time forfeit kalaban ko at yung pangalawa nag-resign dahil sa heavy loss of materials.

Panoorin natin:

 

Drawn Game Against Caro-Kann

Heto ang isang laro ko sa ChessCube habang naghihintay ng oras kung tawagin ay after lunch. Nai-draw ko yung laro pagkatapos ko mapakain yung Rook ko, kasi naman nakikipag-chat ako sa Esmi ko habang naglalaro.

Medyo nagustuhan ko yung laro namin sa opening stage ng laro, pakiramdam ko bentahe ako, 15/g itong laro na ito, ibig sabihin labin-limang minuto ang kada player. Susumahin mo isang oras tatagal ang larong ito kung magkakaubusan ng oras.

Buti na lang nakaligtas ako ng Draw sa kalaban ko. Sayang lang kasi tingin ko kakayanin ko yung mga maneobra ng kalaban ko kung hindi ko naipamigay yung Rook ko, hinayaan ko kasing mai-fork ako ng Queen nya.

Anyways, heto na yung laro:

Filipino Language for my Blog

With the introduction of DepEd K-12 curriculum this year and the proliferation of reading materials in Filipino like Bob Ong's books and Lourd de Veyra's seminal thoughts, works and words, I am forced (inspired na lang!) to write in Filipino after this post.

Can I do it? Will I have the vocabulary fund (word bank) to sustain this task?

I tried to go Filipino last time when I started my Pinoy sa Morocco Blog but somehow I went back to posting in English.

What if I go Taglish? Englog?

Whatever it is, I feel I should answer one basic question and that is "How will I express myself better using this blog, should I write in English or in Filipino?

Maybe I'll use both. I'll try.

With my one year experience as an MYP Language B Filipino Teacher tucked in under my belly, I thinkI should really move forward and use Filipino.

I'll really try.

Until then!


  

Mother's Day 2012

This year's mother's day is celebrated on May 14, Sunday. All over the world, Mother's day is celebrated every second Saturday of May. Every year, the whole world recognizes and celebrates the important role mothers have.

If you want a historical background of the beginnings of Mother's day celebration, you may want to Google the Anna Jarvis and Grafton, West Virginia. Two years after her mother's death in May 1907, Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in her church. The service took the form of an appreciation of her mother and those of all the attendees. In 1909, this idea or practice became a common thing statewide. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson Established Mother's Day as a National Holiday.

Ironically, Anna Jarvis and her sister Ellsinore, campaigned against the what the holiday celebration had become. The person who did so much to promote the remembrance of every mother on Earth died of poverty fighting against the commercialization of the holiday.

Every mother would love a visit or phone call from their children on this day so whatever gift you may have for them, make sure you deliver it personally.

Anna Jarvis said:

A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.

Read more about it.

Happy Mothers day to all the mothers in the world!

Thanks and happy mothers day to my mom,  Cora Buenaventura and to my mother-in-law, Emy Dandan! Above all, I'd like to say thank you to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her unending maternal love to me and the rest of her followers!

I'd like to share this book about her, The Glories of Mary.

Extending RP's Territory: Benham Rise is Ours!

In the midst of China's territorial pissing over at Scarborough Shoal, our claim to Benham Rise, a 13-million hectare area off the coast of Aurora, my father's hometown. The United Nation Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf has approved our claim to ownership recently.

We get some, we lose some and this newly-acquired area is much bigger than the size of Luzon which is only 10.5 hectares and is a possible source of minerals and natural gas.

There's Continental Drift, Continental Breakfast and Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile, all of which are not new to us. But what is a Continental Shelf?

Well there are so many websites to give us scholarly and practical answers to our question so I better share them here:

• Continental Shelf @ Wikipedia
• Office of Naval Research: Continental Margin and Rise
• UNEP Shelf Programme 
• Anna Cavnar: Deciding Who Owns the Ocean Floor
• PHL's Claim to Benham Rise

Me and my family is scheduled to visit Casiguran and Dinalungan via Baler this year. All of which are towns in the Province of Aurora. Will we be able to island-hop and see for ourselves this new Philippine territory? Or this will just be one of those "Philippine treasures" that lived the life of a white elephant? Will the Philippine Government be putting in the necessary program and implement it for the good of our country?

What will it be?

Please read the PDF called PHL's Claim to Benham Rise and get to know more of your new territory, Filipinos should know.

Thanks to Rappler.com for the story!

Asian Continental Chess Championship 2012

The 11th Asian Continental Individual Open and Women's Chess Championship is the qualifying tournament for the World Cup and Women's World Championship. Vietnam Chess Federation is the host for this event which started May 4, Friday. Official count of players: 70 for Open section and 40 for Women's section. The tournament is a 9-round Swiss System with Phuong Trang as the main sponsor.

The Asian Chess Federation Deputy President Casto Abundo is a Filipino and has been with FIDE for almost two decades now, a hold-over from Campomanes regime.

Top five performers after Round 5 or should I say 5 after 5:

1. GM Yu Yangi of China with 4.5 points
2. IM Qingnan Liu of China with 4 points
3. GM John Paul Gomez of the Philippines with 4 points
4. GM Liren Ding of China with 4 points
5. GM Parimarjan Negi of India with 4 points 

Philippine's Official entry and score after 5 rounds:

• GM Wesley So (5th seed), with 3 points
• GM Rogelio Antonio Jr (13th seed), WITHDREW
• GM Oliver Barbosa (16th seed), with 3.5 points
• GM Mark Paragua (23rd seed), with 3.5 points
• GM John Paul Gomez (30th seed), with 4 points
• GM Darwin Laylo (31st seed), with 2 points
• GM Eugenio Torre (33rd seed), with 1.5 points
• IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia (50th seed) with 2 points

Four more rounds to go and we will find out if another Pinoy will have a chance to play in the World Cup 2013.

For the Women's section, we have the top five performers after 5 rounds:

1. WGM Irene Kharisma Sukandar of Indonesia with 4.5 points
2. WGM Thi Thanh An Nguyen of Vietnam with 4 points
3. IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul of Mongolia with 4 points
4. WGM Yixin Ding of China with 4 points
5. WGM Thi Bao Tram Hoang with 3.5 points   

Good luck to all the participants in the Asian Chess Championship! I just thought FM Paulo Bersamina should have have played in this tournament.

Here I go again, I've said this so many times...

Wesley So has been very consistent in all his games and I wonder if he has lost his passion for the game. It does happen and when it does, one must take a break from the game. I wish his fans would make him realize this, his parents too.

Burn out? Probably!  

Wesley you don't need to play the game if you don't want to. There is so much more outside of the chess arena. Huwag mong' panghinayangan yan, it will come around again. Sometimes gifts can be so hard to let go of especially when all your life, that's all you've had, chess, chess and chess. Ibang level lang talaga ang chess when it comes to World Cup and World Championship. Giftedness and talent is not enough, dedication and commitment must be part of the equation. Discipline dude, discipline.

I wish nothing but the best for you. Good luck! 

Hitler Reacts to Tulfo-Santiago Brawl

The Tulfo-Santiago brawl is still showing and Filipinos all over the world are watching! Here's the video just in case you haven't seen it yet.

We forgot all about Jessica Sanchez, Scarborough Shoal and the blatant Chinese claim that they also own the Philippines. I arrived home tonight and was welcomed with the words "Pa, nakakainis to si Raymart, paiyak-iyak pa sa interview!"

The issue has fueled the imagination of many and right now, the video uploaded by RonnVillanueva over at YouTube is gaining viewership by the minute. I just love the subtitles put in the Hitler movie and it summed up most of the problems and issues we have right now in the Philippines.

Here it is:

 

I've downloaded this one just in case it is removed from Youtube just like the TV5 T3 Episode where they gave threatening statement against Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto. I saw that episode and at first, the Tulfo Brothers made a disclaimer like in light of journalistic ethical blah-blahs. Then they took turns, giving the viewers and MTRCB shivers. Today, the Tulfo Brothers have been suspended!

And yes, Raymart replied with tears in front of the camera. This fine acting might give him that elusive FAMAS Award.

Imagine Claudine and Raymart, together with a friend in pink shirt giving Mon Tulfo the black eye and bruises? Bad for the Tulfo brand.

Empty warehouse? Airport and mall? I think Raymart should impose the house-arrest for the entire family.

Running a Scholastic Chess Club

The Beacon Chess Club, the one I moderate, coach and monitor, will have its final two meetings this week. We meet twice a week for eight weeks every term. We have 3 terms in one school year so that makes a total of 48 meetings in a year.

For our last two sessions, we will be watching the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer. Already, my second session players are excited and asked if they can bring party food. Of course I answered in affirmative.

Since 2003 I have supervised and coached scholastic chess clubs, all of which from international schools here in the Philippines. I have seen repeating patterns in running a chess club. The first time you offer it, you will get a huge turn-out for registration. But as the weeks pass, the "real ones" stay and persevere in learning the game while those who registered for "finding-out" sake, stop attending the club meetings.

I can't really blame those kids for not wanting chess. Chess is not for everyone but its worth finding out if the game is for them or not. Chess is boring, its difficult and its time consuming. It takes away "talk-time" for those who plays the game and these days, our youth would rather talk than think.

On the other hand, I've seen kids register in the club and never miss a session. These are the kids who share my passion for the game. I can't really give you guys what kind of kids they are. Some are nerdy and some are sporty. Some are into music and some are into poetry.

Running a scholastic chess club clearly eradicates the geeky chess player type in one's mind.

I never had a chess coach or a guide when I was an elementary student and I know exactly how it feels when you long to learn and play the game but the opportunity just don't show up.

I give my students this chance to learn, enjoy and play the game of chess.

Ralph E. Brown, a scholastic chess coach in the States, wrote the book A Beginners Guide to Coaching Scholastic Chess in 2006.  A very successful chess coach he is, he had this basic coaching philosophy which I admire, remember and use as a guide for my own chess teaching and coaching:

"I do not coach Chess to make future Grandmasters out of my players and there is nothing in this book that will help you coach future Grandmasters. I coach Chess because it is the only activity available to K-12 students that they can do their entire life regardless of their physical condition. I coach Chess because it is an activity that helps families be together as a family. I coach Chess because it helps my students to become better learners. Finally, I coach Chess because I love the game!"

Your approach to scholastic chess club is very, very different from your local chess club. Local chess clubs exists because there are players who need exposure to different opponent's playing skills. These are the players who are ready to move on from the advanced beginner level to intermediate level. For scholastic chess players, you will have players who knows nothing about the game except the fact that to play the game, you will have to move pieces of different kinds.

Ain't it cute?

So why aren't you running a scholastic chess club in your school? Of course, playing the game is different from teaching the game.

Oh I need to go now, my K1-G2 students are waiting for me and my assistant coach in the school lobby. We will be watching Susan Polgar's Learning Chess The Easy Way DVD while munching on some Krispy Cream I bought just before lunchtime.

Bye!

World Chess Championship 2012 Rules and Regulations

The World Chess Championship 2012 is on May 10, two days from now. You guys better not miss a single game. It will be fought in Moscow between two seasoned players, reigning world chess champion Vishy Anand from India and challenger Boris Gelfand from Israel.

And here are the rules and regulations, summed up by BusinessWorld's Chess Piece columnist Bobby Ang:

The match will consist of 12 games with a time control for each game of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting after move 61 has been made.

If the scores are level after the regular 12 games, then we go into tie breaks.

1. Four tie-break games will be played with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move

2. If the scores are still level, then a match of two games shall be played with a time control of five minutes plus three seconds increment after each move. In case of a level score, another two-game match will be played to determine a winner. If still there is no winner after five such matches (total 10 games), we will go into sudden death.

3. In sudden death the player who wins the drawing of lots may choose the color. The player with the white pieces shall receive five minutes, the player with the black pieces shall receive four minutes whereupon, after the 60th move, both players shall receive an increment of three seconds from move 61. In case of a draw the player with the black pieces is declared the winner.

And my Scribd copy of the complete set of rules and regulations, including the schedule for the event, for the World Chess Championship 2012:  

FIDE World Championship 2012 Rules and Regulations

Writings of Blessed Maria Agreda

I have been trying to add to my collection the fourth book of Blessed Maria Agreda Mystical City of God but I just can't and I don't know why. Over at Scribd, Miguel Vas has this tons of documents and I've been collecting most of his documents including the four books of Mystical City of God.

Here is one of Miguel Vas set of collection which you guys might find appealing: The Writings of Blessed Maria of Agreda.

The NAIA Incident: Tulfo vs Mr. and Mrs. Santiago

Le'me piggy back ride on the recent internet surge and show you the NAIA incident involving Mon Tulfo and Raymart Santiago and the rest of his homies (while his children were watching on the sidelines).

 

Whoever started the fight never thought of anything like this big. It is the talk of the town, in primetime news, blogs, websites and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Mon Tulfo was at the receiving end this time and in one of the interviews he said "Masakit pala madehado" (It is painful to be in a losing situation). Mon Tulfo's siblings, Raffy, Erwin and Ben, in their TV 5 show called T3 reminded Raymart that its not yet over.

And while netizens like you and me are feasting on this celebrity death match, the airline called Cebu Pacific is inching away from it.

But what is the reason for this?

The luggage of the Santiago family was off-loaded and this caused Claudine Barretto complain to the ground stewardess of the Cebu Pacific. Mon Tulfo claims he heard Claudine verbally abuse the stewardess which witnesses and Cebu Pacific employees present confirm to be true but Claudine denies this.

And the rest they say... is now showing!

FIDE Newsletter May 2012

Here is the FIDE's Chess in Schools Newsletter for the month of May 2012:
FIDE CIS Newsletter May 2012

UN Observances for May 2012

Remember our post about FilAm Event across America for May 2012? Well I got this email from our school librarian about the United Nation's Observances during May.

May 3           World Press Freedom Day


May 8-9        Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for those
                       who lost their lives during the World War II


May 14-15    World Migratory Bird (UNEP)


May 15          International Day of Families


May 17          World Telecommunication and Information Society Day


May 21          World Day for Cultural Diversity for
                        Dialogue and Development


May 22          International Day for Biodiversity


May 29          International Day of UN Peacekeepers


May 31          World No-Tobacco Day

Watch out for the trending of these topics and keywords for the whole month of May.