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Saturday, July 15, 2006
Paragua yields just one loss and 6 draws
By Lynde Salgados
IN WHAT is considered as the most successful simultaneous chess display here after International Master Rafaelito Maninang and National Masters Cris Ramayrat and Elias Lao some 20 years ago, youthful Mark Paragua showed why he is the country's first Super Grandmaster.
Hopping from one board to another against over 50 opponents, the 22-year-old Paragua on Wednesday yielded just a single loss and six draws in his exhibition matches before an appreciative crowd at the jampacked Divisoria Kiosk.
It was a different routine, however, for the world class chess master as he has to endure playing in an almost endless stream of adversaries.
"It's like a sequel in a Pinoy movie nga dili mahurot ang kontra kay mora'g patay nga bangon gihapon. Although gamay ang venue and limited atong chess sets, Divisoria Kiosk is arguably the best place to promote chess kay makabantay ang mga tawo being located itself in the very heart of the city. The innovation plus Makmak's awesome energy and conscientious willingness to face the challenge had all the more endeared the participants and spectators alike to savor the creative endeavor that lasted for six hours," said National Arbiter Lorenzo "Jun" Cuizon, who supervised the event in the company of Richelieu Salcedo Sr., Leo Dinglasan, and this writer.
After over an hour, Paragua offered a draw on board 5 opposite Cagayan de Oro's own 12-year-old prodigy Lennon Hart Salgados of Corpus Christi after the two reached a double-edge middlegame position of a Sicilian Najdorf.
"Parehas kaming dalawa na may weakness sa pawn structure kaya't mahirap ng pilitin," said Paragua.
After tasting his first defeat here at the hands of Lennon's older compatriot Antonio Chavez Jr. during their only one-game blitz encounter at Divisoria Chess Plaza where Paragua gave a 5-3 odds on the clock, he looked determined enough to exact vengeance. Spending special time at Chavez's board No.11, Paragua gained the upper hand in the opening, even depriving the Black King's right to castle.
But the 16-year-old Chavez, his confidence growing even deeper, managed to diffuse Paragua's attack by exchanging the heavy pieces and the second draw was eventually announced.
Engineer Dionel Albina of Mindanao Polytechnic State College engaged Paragua in a seesaw match that also ended in a truce.
Another junior, Alfredo Rapanot Jr. seemed to put Paragua on the ropes with a quality up advantage in a complicated tussle. "Pero ni-offer siya'g draw kay mora'g gaka-intimidate siya kang Makmak," Rapanot's mother shared in glee.
There followed two more peaceful agreements with the friendly lawyer, Bobby Goking and journalist Orwin Austria gradually taking the sting out from Paragua's notorious killer instinct.
"I murmured words like dili na maglabad imong ulo kung ato ning tablahon...makasabot man diay og binisaya," an amused Goking revealed.
Deciding to catch the euphoria and taking the place vacated by one of the early losers proved to be the biggest break for veteran chesser Oscar Cardenas of the Hall of Justice.
The 50-something Cardenas made full use of his slight opening advantage to emerge one pawn up in a Rook and pawns endgame squabble. He then summoned all the tricks available to convert it to victory and the only upset scored against the country's highest-rated chess player.
"I gave up a pawn to open up the position sa opening because I realized nga wala koy dag-anan sa GM kon solid-solid lang among dula. I did not really expect to win," Cardenas told Sun.Star.
Asked about his only defeat, Paragua merely shrugged off his shoulders, even as he praised Cardenas's effort to squeeze out a win in a difficult study-like endgame position.
"Although madalas yong ginawang pass n'ya, he really deserves the victory dahil talagang pinaghirapan n'ya. Masaya din ako dahil nakakapagbigay saya tayo sa mga uma-appreciate sa larong chess dito," said Paragua, triple gold medallist in the 2003 South East Asian Games in Vietnam and former World 14-under Rapid champion in Paris.
The last time a simultaneous exhibition took place in Cagayan de Oro was in 1983 when masters Maninang, Lao, and then Philippine blitz king Ramayrat for the Buklod Bayan Chess Caravan.
"But this one organized by Metro Cagayan Chess Club was greeted with much enthusiasm by the local chess fans. It brings chess to greater heights once more especially that the fanfare features no less than the country's first super grandmaster," added Cuizon in a huddle with chess patron, NM Roly Tan of Gold Crest Marketing.
Paragua's weeklong stay here was made trouble-free through the kind support of "Ukay-Ukay King" Andy Palarca of ACCP Enterprises, Dr. Arsenio Noble, NM Tan, Edu Alaba of Paper Station, and Vice Mayor Michelle Tagarda Spiers.
"It was such an incredible show of wits, speed, and power. Things like those are truly a sight to behold. I was completely amazed witnessing the event," said VM Spiers who was able to raise P3,100 from the members of the City Council (most notably Councilor Benjo Benaldo) as part of the registration's sponsorship for the mostly young simultaneous chess contestants.
Paragua also expressed thanks to newfound friends Ismar Estrella, Danilo Adorador III, GSD's Austria, Andy Calingin, Mr. and Mrs. "Gali" Garcia, Jovencio Pangilinan, and Mr. and Mrs. Surposa.
"Now I know why Cagayan de Oro is called as the City of Golden Friendship. Laking pasalamat ko talaga sa mga naging kaibigan ko rito. Hindi ko po yon makakalimutan," said Paragua before taking the Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila on early Thursday morning.
(July 15, 2006 issue)
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