2nd NATIONAL AGE GROUP 2009, Aug.28-31

The second National Age-Group chess championship will be held as scheduled on Aug. 28-31 at the Victory Centrall Mall in Caloocan City.A project of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), headed by president/chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. , in cooperation with the Victory Central Mall, the four-day competition will be held to determine the countrys representatives to the World Youth Chess Championships to be held on Nov. 11-23 in Antalya, Turkey.
NCFP executive/events director Willie Abalos said the tournament will be divided into two divisions: boys and girls.
A total of six categories will be played:
8 under – for players born on or after January 2001
10 under – born on or after January 1999
12 under – born on or after January 1997
14 under – born on or after January 1995
16 under – born on or after January 1993
18 under – born on or after January 1991
For further information contact the NCFP Office:
email - NCFPsecretariat@yahoo.com
tel no. 381-7224

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR TITO ORETA! (JULY 30, 2009)

This is only an edited copy. My mother photo-edited this and made it looked like we are on the same table. With Mayor Oreta watching over me or him as my opponent. = ). Thanks to the owner of the website where she grabbed Mayor Oreta`s picture and the Malabon City seal (not fully covered in the picture).
Technology works! Here are the original pictures.

DARYL UNIX SAMANTILA TWICE CHAMP - DIR RELORCASA AGE GROUP

DARYL Unix Samantila twice champion in the 10-under category of DIRECTOR MANUEL RELORCASA AGE-GROUP CHESS TOURNAMENT

1st Leg NCFP Director Manuel Relorcasa Age-Group Chess Tournament
Venue: Celebrity Sports Plaza, Quezon City
Date: June 12 Friday, Independence Day

2st Leg NCFP Director Manuel Relorcasa Age-Group Chess Tournament
Venue: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, MAKATI CITY
St. Andrew parish Council, N. Garcia St. (Former Reposo St.)
cor. kalayaan avenue, Bel-Air, Makati City.
Date: July 25, 2009

SAMANTILA AND MEJIA TOPPED THE 2ND LEG 2009 NCFP DIRECTOR MANUEL RELORCASA CHESS CARAVAN

Date: JULY 25, 2009

Venue: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, MAKATI CITY
St. Andrew parish Council, N. Garcia St. (Former Reposo St.)
cor. kalayaan avenue, Bel-Air, Makati City.

Danielle Ray (my sister) and me.

Awarding ceremony with none other than GM Bong Villamayor.
We are very glad and so are the organizers for the time spent by GM Bong. He really is a very good chess trainer, low profile and a soft-spoken person. He has that passion to guide children who are willing to put on extra hard work to be good at chess.
Giovanni Mejia receiving his trophy and cash prize.
My sister in action. Serious... are you thinking what to move Dindin? And her picture below with GM Bong and Atty. Vic Aceveda after she received her medal.

I did it again in the 10-under category of the 2nd leg of the Dir Manual Relorcasa Age-group, while Giovanni Mejia topped the 14-under category. It was only a round 5 event because of the low turnout of players. And because of that everybody been qualified to the final event and everybody been recognized, all got a medal, while top players (me and Giovanni) got the trophy. Maybe because it coincides with the NCAA opening date and the place (some said) is quite hard to find. But then everybody played serious chess since it was attended by good chess kiddie players. My sister played chess tournament for the first time and she likewise got a medal that she proudly wears and showed to our cousins, tito, tita and lolo. She missed moves and opportunity to capture and win...but she is just starting. At least she got to finish the event and still managed to have a little nap while we are on break. = )

FINAL STANDINGS

UNDER 10 YEARS OLD
1. SAMANTILA, Daryl Unix 5
2. SAN DIEGO, Marie Antoinette 4
3. FELIA, Michella 3
4. SOPUNGCO, Andrew 3
5. DELA CRUZ, Nicole 3
6. GUTIERREZ, John Cedric 3
7. DOCENA, Jesca 2
8. ESPARAGOZA, Elthon Adam 1
9. REANO, Jesspher Jercan 1
10 SAMANTILA, Danielle Ray 0


UNDER 14 YEARS OLD
1. MEJIA, Giovanni 5
2. BERSAMINA, Paulo 4
3. DOCENA, Jerad 3
4. ROMASANTA, Rommel 2.5
5. GALAS, Bernadette 2.5
6. MAGPILY, John Michael 2.5
7. BELZA, Nathan 2.5
8. TORRES, Franz Josiah 1.5
9. REANO, Jesther 1.5
10 GATMAYTAN, Joaquin 0

Thank you to the organizers and the officiating committe:
Tournament Director: Atty. Vic Aceveda
Chief Arbiter: NA Boyet Tardecilla
Deputy Arbiters: RA’s Rolly Linan, Rolly Suarez & Eli Carredo
Secretariat: Daniel Tumambing

Thank you for supporting the kiddie players.

Salcedo, Nanola the SNYACC Southern Luzon Leg Winners

Another 2008 Asean-Age grouper made it as finalist of SNYACC. Congratulations Christian! (in this picture standing behind me) .

JUNIORS DIVISION (20-under category)
1. SALCEDO Richelieu III 6.5
2. MAGDALAGA Luffe 6.5
3. TURQUEZA Mari Joseph 6.5
KIDDIES DIVISION (14-under category)
1. NANOLA Christian 7
2. PEREZ Carl Angelo 6.5
3. BERSAMINA Paulo 6.5

Richelieu Salcedo III and Christian Nanola pulled off crucial sixth round victories over their higher-ranked rivals to rule their respective divisions in the Southern Luzon leg of the 2009 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships at SM City in Batangas City last Sunday.
Salcedo, the fifth seeded player from Rizal Technological University, upended second seed Sheider Nebato in the penultimate round of the seven-round Swiss system tournament then drew with FEU’s Luffe Magdalaga to capture the juniors division crown with 6.5 points.
Nanola, the 15th-ranked bet from Laguna College of Business and Arts, toppled No. 3 Patrick Dulay in the sixth round then outplayed Jessther Reano in the final round to complete a sweep of the kiddies category of the event under the Shell Active Chess program, which supports the empowerment of the youth as part of the company’s overall Sustainable Development commitment.

Lifted from the Daily Tribune 07/21/2009

It`s my Birthday!!! and i am now 10!

July 15, 2009... my 10th birthday and my sister`s 8th birthday. Need to go to school and it`s just a normal school day, no celebration in school. It was after school that we celebrated our birthday. We went to a Robinson`s Place in Ermita and watched Ice Age 3 Dawn of the Dinosaur. Buck is so funny!!!!!!
Plot summary: Scrat is still trying to nab the ever-elusive nut (while, maybe, finding true love); Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth, Sid the sloth gets into trouble when he creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs; and Diego the saber-toothed tiger wonders if he's growing too "soft" hanging with his pals. On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora and fauna run amuck - and meet a relentless, one-eyed, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.

After we watched the movie Mama bought 'Teddy'. Yipee! I been wanting this for so long. You know who Teddy is... it is Mr. Bean`s companion.

And then we ate at Chef D` Angelo before going home.

Thank you Mama and Papa for the day! for our birth-day!!!

A Balancing Act for Students-Athlete

Priority, priority, priority. This is the most important factor in having a balanced Student-Athlete life. Actually every person must able to identify the (I) URGENT and IMPORTANT, (II) NOT URGENT but IMPORTANT, (III) URGENT but NOT IMPORTANT, and (IV) NOT URGENT and NOT IMPORTANT. They said it varies because it depends on where one person is coming from or what his/her values are.

Assignments, homework, school projects must be done immediately even if it is still for next week or for the next next day. Things that are not urgent but are important must be accomplished just before it becomes ASAP. You can able to finished it without cramming and no pressures.

Should I join tournaments which may affect may studies? Well, it depends... YES, if it is IMPORTANT, if it is a national qualifying event; but NO if will just do it for money and exposure(?). Chess skill does not follow as to the relativity of exposures a player had. Some players showed a decline in performance when they already got much much exposure, playing chess before they could even read books. Because chess is like a subject in school, we continuously study and prepare for exams in the form of tournaments.

And when there is the opportunity to have some fun, grab it! And last week been a happy weekend. We had no training last Saturday, we just stayed at home and we watched 'Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen' at SM Manila last Sunday. I could still hear Optimus Prime`s famous line... "Autobots -- Transform and Roll out!"

"All works and no play make Jack a dull boy"... by Jack Torrance