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Duterte insists: “I have no role in Sereno ouster”

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, May 16, said he has no involvement in the Supreme Court’s decision on the quo warranto petition against former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes P.A. Sereno.

“If there’s one Congresswoman or Congressman, or Justice, single Justice who can say I approached [for that], I can guarantee you, I will resign,”Mr. Duterte said in a chance interview with reporters at the Palace on Wednesday evening following his meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The President stressed that it is not his habit to run after his critics. 

“Sinabi ko na (I have already said it’s not my habit… It’s out of my character to do that,” he said.

He likewise denied that he asked Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida to file the quo warranto petition against Ms. Sereno.  “It was his job to find faults. Whatever he thinks that it is his duty to perform, hindi ako nakikialam (I do not interfere),” he also said.

The SC en banc, in a landmark ruling made on May 11, voted 8-6 favoring Mr. Calida’s quo warranto petition against the appointment of Ms. Sereno as Chief Justice. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Duterte on next Ombudsman: 'Not a politician, especially not a woman'

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday said he will not choose “politicians, especially not a woman” to succeed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who is set to retire on July 26.
“Mag-nominate sila [the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC)], pero I choose, gusto ko yung bilib ang tao sa integrity niya. Of course, it could not be politicians. Lalo na hindi babae,” the President said in a chance interview with Palace reporters.
(The JBC can nominate, but I choose. I want someone whom people will admire for his integrity. Of course, it could not be politicians. Especially not a woman.)
The President said he will also consult the “Ombudsman people” except for Ms. Morales.
On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 11:29 AM, ricky torre <rstorre@www.bworldonline.com> wrote:
Duterte insists: “I have no role in Sereno ouster”
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, May 16, said he has no involvement in the Supreme Court’s decision on the quo warranto petition against former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes P.A. Sereno.
“If there’s one Congresswoman or Congressman, or Justice, single Justice who can say I approached [for that], I can guarantee you, I will resign,”Mr. Duterte said in a chance interview with reporters at the Palace on Wednesday evening following his meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
The President stressed that it is not his habit to run after his critics.
“Sinabi ko na (I have already said it’s not my habit… It’s out of my character to do that,” he said.
He likewise denied that he asked Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida to file the quo warranto petition against Ms. Sereno. “It was his job to find faults. Whatever he thinks that it is his duty to perform, hindi ako nakikialam (I do not interfere),” he also said.
The SC en banc, in a landmark ruling made on May 11, voted 8-6 favoring Mr. Calida’s quo warranto petition against the appointment of Ms. Sereno as Chief Justice.

Duterte suspends more officials

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday, May 16, disclosed more names of officials whom he said he had ordered “suspended pending investigation.”

“Suspended sila lahat ngayon  (They’re all suspended now), pending investigation,” Mr. Duterte told Malacañang reporters on Wednesday afternoon. 

“Those people that are under investigation are [Atty.] Ambrosi Basman; Atty. Rohani Basman; Amisa Lumuntod; Amilquir Macabando, ex-mayor of Marawi City; Atty. Samina Sampaco Macabando-Usman, DoJ Prosecutor; OIC Pasay City Prosecutor Atty. Benjamin B. Lanto, relative of Mr. Lumuntod Macabando; Inquest Prosecutor Clemente Villanueva; Assistant Prosecutor Florenzo dela Cruz; NAIA District Collector Ramon Anquilan; and DoJ Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon, [Sr.],” the President said. 

Also on his list are “NAIA- Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Adzhar Albani; CIIS Head Butch Ledesma, plantilla holder assigned at NAIA; and Customs Operation Officer Lumuntod Macabando.”

Mr. Duterte said he will also forward the results of the investigation to the Office of the Ombudsman. 

In his press briefing on Tuesday, May 15, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said the President has already advised Mr. Macarambon and Public Works Assistant Secretary Tingagun Ampaso Umpa to tender their resignations.

The spokesman said, also citing a report by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), that Mr. Macarambon “[has] regularly been intervening on behalf of smugglers of gold and other precious jewelry at the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport.”

Citing a DPWH report, Mr. Roque said Mr. Umpa “allegedly committed grave abuse of power, and may have committed acts of corruption.”

“[Mr. Umpa] asked from contractors in the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) area for certain percentages from projects awarded to these contractors,” Mr. Roque said.

Magnolia Hotshots rout Columbian by 25 points

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok notched their second straight win in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup and they did so in big fashion, routing the Columbian Dyip, 126-101, yesterday in the curtain-raiser at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Had it explosive in the opening half of the encounter, the Hotshots were too much for the Dyip to handle the rest of the way as they rolled to the easy victory and improve to 2-1 after opening their campaign in the midseason PBA tournament with a loss.
The game started close with the two teams trying to establish early control, fighting to a 9-8 count with the Hotshots on top with 8:36 to go in the first quarter.
After that Magnolia would go on a 12-2 run in the next three minutes, with Vernon Macklin, Paul Lee and Marc Barroca leading the charge, to extend their lead to 11 points, 21-10.
It would use it as a jump-off point to pull away further, holding a 19-point cushion, 37-18, by the end of the first 12 minutes.
The Hotshots continued to build on the momentum they had to finish the opening canto and pounded on the Dyip some more to start the second frame.
They outscored their opponents, 19-12, in the first seven minutes to make it a 26-point edge, 56-30, and extending it to a 32-point separation a couple of times after before they settled for a 72-43 advantage by the halftime break.
Looking to fight back, Columbian played more aggressive to start the third quarter with import John Fields trying to rally his team.
But Magnolia was quick to nip the fight back to the bud, to stay ahead, 97-71, heading into the final quarter.
With the game pretty much under wraps, the Hotshots spent the fourth quarter just keeping the Dyip at bay, which they were able to successfully do, maintaining their lead above 30 points for much of the time and sprinted to the victory.
Mr. Macklin led Magnolia with 19 points and eight rebounds followed by Ian Sangalang with 18 points.
Messrs. Barroca and Lee had 17 points each with Aldrech Ramos and Jio Jalalon adding 12 and 11 points each.
Mr. Macklin, however, played his penultimate game for Magnolia as he is set to play in China.
Columbian, meanwhile, was paced by Mr. Fields with 22 points and 19 boards with Jerramy King finishing with 19 markers.
“We just played hard throughout the game,” said Mr. Macklin, named player of the game, after their victory.
Magnolia next plays tomorrow against the Meralco Bolts while Columbian (3-3) plays on June 1 versus TNT KaTropa.

Celtics survive James’ attack race to 2-0 East Series lead

LOS ANGELES — Jaylen Brown scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics overcame a 42-point performance from LeBron James to beat Cleveland 107-94 on Tuesday and take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Terry Rozier added 18 points, while Al Horford finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who improved to 8-0 this postseason at the Boston Garden.
“We really lean on him,” said Brown of Horford. “He has been doing it all year. That is why they pay him the big bucks.”
The Celtics, who overcame a double digit deficit, have never blown a 2-0 series lead in the postseason. Game Three is Sunday in Cleveland.
Brown said they can’t let up in Game Three because Cavaliers superstar James usually raises his game another notch after a loss.
“We need tremendous focus. He (James) is one of the best players of all time. But if there is anybody I would put my money on it would be this group,” Brown said.
The Celtics used a balanced attack as a half dozen players reached double figures. Cleveland had 15 turnovers leading to 13 Boston points and the Celtics had just six turnovers.
James also delivered 12 assists and 10 rebounds, scoring 21 of Cleveland’s 27 points in the first quarter.
His 42 points marked his fifth 40-point game of these playoffs. James had just 15 points and missed all five of his three-point attempts in a game one defeat.
“We have the opportunity go back home and take home court,” James said. “They did what they had to do to protect home court and now it is our time as well.
“We will see what we are made of on Saturday.”
Tuesday’s game got physical as the Celtics pulled out all the stops to try and contain James.
James appeared to strain his neck in a first-half collision. The Cavaliers sagged in the second half, where they were outscored 59-39 by the Celtics.
Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said they need to be more physical and referred to the Boston players as goons.
“We got to be tougher mentally and physically,” Lue said. “They are gooning it up and we have got to do the same thing.”
Kevin Love finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds for Cleveland.
Kyle Korver came off the bench to score 11 points but starters Tristan Thompson, JR Smith and George Hill combined for just 11 points in the loss.
“Down the stretch we took some bad shots,” Lue said. “We didn’t close the half way we wanted to and they had a big third quarter.
“In the third quarter we had some miscommunication on defense and they scored some easy baskets.” — AFP

Ceres-Negros FC back in ASEAN Zonal Final

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
REIGNING AFC Cup ASEAN winner Ceres-Negros FC gets to defend its title after booking a return trip to the final on the strength of going on top on aggregate despite losing to Yangon United FC, 3-2  in the second leg of their semifinal matchup on Wednesday.
Taking the first leg of their semis pairing, 4-2, on May 9 in Bacolod City, the “Busmen” advanced to the next round of the competition, 6-5, on aggregate to survive the spirited challenge from the home team at the Thuwunna Stadium in Myanmar.
Yangon got off to a strong start in its attempt to make up for the two goals they gave away in the first leg, with Kosuke Yamazaki scoring two minutes into the contest.
But Ceres would immediately set right its ship as Manny Ott levelled the count at 1-1 six minutes later.
The hosts continued to put pressure on Ceres as the opening half progressed but the latter’s defense would hold steady to keep the score tied.
Bievenido Maranon then made it 2-1 for Ceres when he left-footed the ball to the net in the 78th minute.
The Spanish striker, however, would be tossed after for what was deemed to be taunting as he celebrated his goal.
His actions nearly sparked a brawl between the two sides. When control was established, Mr. Maranon was handed a red card.
The turn of events provided Yangon something to rally behind.
Aee Soe made it 2-2 in the 83rd minute before teammate Sekou Sylla pushed to 3-2 for Yangon in the 87th minute.
Yangon scrambled to add more goals and erase Ceres’ lead on aggregate but the latter would hold firm for the remainder of regulation and added time to secure its place in the final.
“It was a game we were expecting. We knew they would do well here. But I’m super proud of my team. We stuck together and played with much professionalism,” said Martin Steuble after the match.
“It was not our best game but we are satisfied. We came here to win a spot in the finals and we were able to that,” he added.
In the ASEAN Zonal Final, Ceres will face Home United FC of Singapore, which defeated Persija Jakarta in their own semifinals, 6-3, on aggregate.
The ASEAN Zonal Final will be played in August.

I’m not yet done, says Eduard Folayang

SINGAPORE – Coming off a huge loss in his last fight in ONE Championship that saw him lose in the process the world lightweight champion title, Filipino mixed martial arts star Eduard “Landslide” Folayang has said that was not the end of him as a top-class fighter and vowed to show he has more to give when he makes his much-awaited return to action on May 18.
Part of the card for “ONE: Unstoppable Dreams” happening on Friday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Mr. Folayang goes back to the cage to take on Russian prospect Karun Atlangeriev in a lightweight joust.
It will be the Baguio native’s first plunge into action since losing to now-multiple division ONE champion Martin Nguyen of Australia in their “champion to champion” battle last November.
Mr. Nguyen, the world featherweight champion, added the lightweight gold on his mantle when he knocked out Mr. Folayang in the second round of their clash, connecting on a single counter that immediately sent the latter crashing down and effectively ending Mr. Folayang’s reign as champion.
Coming off such a devastating loss and considering where he is at his stage of his career, many are viewing the 33-year-old Filipino’s upcoming fight against Mr. Atlangeriev as huge, even make-or-break.
But Mr. Folayang (18-6) said he is not focusing much on the “hugeness” of the fight but more of staying true to who he is a fighter and showcase what he is capable of doing.
“I’m not looking at it that way. That I have to win or else everything will be gone. It will only add pressure on me. I just want to show that I’m not yet done, that I still have a lot to give to the game and as a fighter. That’s my primary motivation and not necessarily look at the Atlangeriev fight as make or break,” Mr. Folayang shared to members of the Filipino media here early this week.
“Of course I want to win, and get back to contention. But we are taking it one challenge at a time,” he added.
The Team Lakay stalwart also said that he is ready against ONE-debuting Atlangeriev (11-0) and welcomes the opportunity to fight anew in Singapore, a place he said that has been good to his career.
“I think this is the proper time to make my comeback. Actually, I expressed my readiness to fight again as early as April but ONE decided to move it to this card . I welcome this chance especially here in Singapore. This place has been good to me in my career. Almost all of my fights here had good results including when I won the lightweight title in 2016 against Shinya Aoki,” he said.
He said further that he is not expecting anything easy from Mr. Atlangeriev, which is why they are really preparing hard to achieve their goal.
“Like most Russian fighters, he likes to take the match to the ground. That is his strength. We are really working hard on our ground game so as to make me a better offensive and defensive player,” he said.
“I know he is new in ONE and hungry to prove his worth. I took this fight for a reason as well and I’m keen on seeing it through. I’m expecting this to be a mental battle. I learned from my previous fight and I’ll be careful this time around. But it does not mean I won’t be aggressive,” Mr. Folayang added.
Headlining the event is the women’s atomweight world championship fight between champion Angela Lee of Singapore and Mei Yamaguchi of Japan.
Also on tap is the world featherweight battle between Mr. Nguyen and Christian Lee of Singapore as well as the ONE Super Series muay thai flyweight world championship clash between Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand and Sergio Wielzen of the Netherlands. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Spain’s La Liga executive to speak at football conference

AN official of one of the top football leagues in the world is due to the country to give a talk in a conference on the state of football in the Philippines and its potential for growth.
Ivan Codina, La Liga’s managing director for Southeast Asia, Australia, Japan and South Korea, is one of the international speakers in the “Business of Football — Philippines” conference set for May 18 at the New World Makati Hotel.
A one-day conference, sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and organized by MMC Sportz, it aims to gather stakeholders of local football in an engaging discussion with the end goal of being able to chart a fitting path to make football the biggest spectator sport in the Philippines.
Mr. Codina is set to share their experiences and tack in La Liga and their plans in the Southeast Asian region and the Philippines.
“As with our internationalization strategy, we are adopting a glo-cal approach — using our global experience to help develop the standard of football in the Philippines, and expertise to tackle any local challenges. We seek to position ourselves as a source of entertainment for the Philippine fans and engage them with public viewing events and other activations to enhance the entire La Liga Experience,” said Mr. Codina in the lead-up to event.
Mr. Codina also said that La Liga appreciates the Filipino fans’ support of their teams, with FC Barcelona as most supported and Real Madrid a close third.
Other speakers for “Business of Football – Philippines” include AFC Head of MA Services Domeka Garamendi, SMG Insight Managing Director Frank Saez, Azkals team manager Dan Palami, Globe Director for OIC, Citizenship and Advocacy Marketing Miguel Bermundo, Philippines Football League CEO Lazarus Xavier, Philippines Football Federation General Secretary Atty. Edwin B. Gastanes, Azkals team captain Phil Younghusband, Asian Replica Designs Founder & Owner Jonathan Mallinson, Quorum Group President & COO Jose S. Claudio, Jr. and MMC Sportz CEO Eric M. Gottschalk.
The conference will cover topics such as “State of Football in the Philippines,” “LaLiga’s Football Development Strategy in Southeast Asia and Philippines,” “The PFL Franchise System,” “Why Brands Should Get Involved — Sponsorship Opportunities in Football,” “Asian Cup 2019 — What’s next for the Azkals,” “Asian Fan Index — Digital Football Consumption,” “Youth Football Development & Academies,” “Sports Retail Dimension in the Philippines,” “The Role of Media in Football Development,” and “Careers in Football,” among others.
“Looking at the lineup of high-profile speakers and the topics on the agenda, ‘football’ is already a clear winner,” said Mr. Gottschalk.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bringing the football community together as a key pillar of development is knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer and that’s the main objective of the event,” he added.
Delegate passes are available online at Platinumlist (The Business of Football — Philippines) at P2,750 and P1,500 for the student pass. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Kings of Threes competition to kick off this weekend

THE local basketball scene gets added dimension with the start this weekend of the Kings of Threes three-point shootout competition.
A year-round tournament which is sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), Kings of Threes is open to the young and old, rookies and pros and individuals and teams, with cash prizes at stake and, more importantly, the right to be called the kings from beyond the arc.
Brought to Manila by Buendia Food by the Court and Taft Food by the Court, in cooperation with Dayo, a soon-to-be-launched online-based app targeting basketball-loving Filipinos, the about-to-open three-point shootout competition is to be played from May till August and interchangeably between the courts set up at the Buendia and Taft food courts in Makati and Pasay, respectively.
Monthly champions will take home P10,000 (Individual) and P20,000 (Team) and a ticket to the grand championship where P100,000 will be given to the individual category winner and P200,000 to the team category victor.
To join the competition one must be at least 14 years old and pay a P500 registration fee for the individual category which will be inclusive of a tournament shirt.
For those joining the group category, each team must have five members of at least 14 years old plus two alternates and must pay the registration fee (inclusive of shirts) of P2,000.
Those interested may register at the venue where they wish to compete.
Organizers of the event and GAB said part of the aim of Kings of Threes is to celebrate the game of basketball as well as create a platform to identify and license professional three-point shooters in the country.
The Kings of Threes will have its opening ceremony on Saturday, May 19, at 4 p.m. at the Taft Food by the Court with Special Assistant to the President Bong Go and GAB Chairman Baham Mitra among the VIPs expected to grace the event.
For more information on the tournament, visit the Facebook pages of Buendia Food by the Court, Taft Food by the Court and Dayo. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Selangor Open

45th Selangor Open
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
April 27-May 1, 2018

Final Top Standings
1-3. IM Marcos Llaneza Vega ESP 2422, IM Haridas Pascua PHI 2441, IM Oliver Dimakiling PHI 2412, 7.0/9
4-10. Merben Roque PHI 2318, GM Alexander Fominyh RUS 2391, Ian Udani PHI 2234, FM John Marvin Miciano PHI 2260, IM Emmanuel Senador PHI 2323, Chan Kim Yew MAS 2148, Lye Lik Zang MAS 2183, 6.5/911
11-15. FM Pitra Andyka INA 2213, GM Bong Villamayor SGP 2427, Efren Bagamasbad PHI 2120, FM Alekhine Nouri PHI 1883, Sabri Mohd Saprin MAS 2032, 6.0/9
Total of 87 participants
Time Control: Players receive 90 minutes for the first 40 moves then 30 minutes play-to-finish with 30 seconds added to their clocks after every move starting move 1.
The Spanish IM Marcos Llaneza Vega (ELO 2422, born March 16, 1987) won the just concluded 45th Selangor Open Chess Tournament in Malaysia. He actually figured in a tie for first with Filipino International Masters Haridas Pascua and Oliver Dimakiling but was awarded the trophy based on the better tie-break scores.
John Marvin Miciano capped off his Southeast Asian campaign by tying for fourth just half a point behind the three winners. The tournament finished too late to be included in the FIDE rating list for May but anyway the past month’s campaign has seen his rating jump by 171 (!) points and he is now rated 2431, no. 11 in the Philippines behind GMs Ino Sadorra 2546, Oliver Barbosa 2545, Mark Paragua 2512, Joseph Sanchez 2471, John Paul Gomez 2461, Eugene Torre 2460, Rogelio Antonio, Jr. 2452, Rogelio Barcenilla 2452, Richard Bitoon 2450 and IM Haridas Pascua 2441.
John Marvin won his first three games, had two losses and a draw in the next three rounds and finished with another 3 wins. The following is his best game. He has annotated it for us through the kindness of his coach GM Jayson Gonzales.
FM Pitra Andyka is a strong player from Indonesia. Back in 2012 in the Brunei Campomanes Memorial he scored 3/3 against Filipino masters and tied for first.
Andyka scored 4.5/5 in the opening rounds and took the early lead in Selangor. However, he slowed down after losing to Oliver Dimakiling in round 6. By the time of this game (i.e., last round) he could still tie for first if he beat Miciano, but his opponent had a different idea.

Andyka, Pitra (2213) — Miciano, John Marvin (2260) [B09]
45th Selangor Open Chess Kuala Lumpur (9), 01.05.2018 [Marvin,John]

One of my best games.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4
I was expecting 4.Nf3
4…Bg7 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Bd3
During my pre-game preparation I noted that he has not had much experience in the Pirc.
6…Nbd7 7.e5 Ne8 8.Qe2 c5 9.d5?!
I have already encountered this move twice in “heavy” tournaments. My opinion of the move is that it is bad as now black can easily attack white’s center pawns.
9…Nb6 10.Bd2
Alternatives:
In the Penang Open last year my opponent Setyaki played 10.Be3 here but after 10…Nc7 he has difficulty holding on to his pawns and I think Black is already better here. Setyaki,A (2349)-Miciano,J (2224) Penang 2017 0–1 (17);
10.Be4 Nc7 is another version of the line above. Black is now threatening …f5. 11.Be3 e6 12.0–0–0 f5 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.dxe6 Qxe6 15.Ng5 Qe7 16.Bd3 h6 Black has an edge and White self-destructed here with 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Nf7+ Rxf7 19.Bxf7 Qxf7 20.Rd8+ Kh7 21.Bxc5 Ne6 Black has a decisive advantage. Tuncer,T (1996)-Selbes,T (2308) Kemer 2014 0–1 (32);
10.e6 fxe6 11.dxe6 d5 Black is likewise clearly better. His loss had nothing to do with the opening. Wockenfuss,K (2380)-Pfleger,H
14.fxe5 h5 15.Be4
I was expecting 15.Bg5 but I had prepared the counter 15…Nb4 16.Bxg6 Qb6! (of course not 16…fxg6?? 17.Rxd8) 17.Bd3 Nxa2+ 18.Kd2 Re8 followed by …Bg4.
15…Nb6 16.Bf4 Qc7 17.g3 Be6 18.Ng5 Bg4 19.Bf3 Bxf3 20.Nxf3 Qc6
Threatening Qa4.
21.Kb1 Rad8 22.Ng5
Now comes a hard move to find.
22…Na4!
Preventing e6 and at the same time simply threatening Qb6.
23.Bc1 c4!
Trying to get in Qb5
24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Rf1?
Correct is 25.Rd1. The text move is a blunder but it is not so easy to see why.
25…Qb5 26.Rf3?
The lesser evil is 26.Qf3 Rf8 27.Nxf7? (27.Ka1 Bxe5) 27…Nxb2! Here comes a decisive series of good moves.
26…Bxe5! 27.Nxf7
[if 27.Rb3 Qd5]
27…Bxb2!
Bravery
28.Rb3 <D>
POSITION AFTER 28.RB3
And now comes the brilliancy.
28…Rd1!!
Offering the rook,queen and bishop for free, but none could be taken after all.
29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Nf7+ Kg7 31.Qe5+ Qxe5 0–1
I thought that the following draw against GM Alexei Barsov, at one time among the leading players of Uzbekistan, smacked of tactical wizardry.

Barsov, Alexei (2411) — Miciano, John Marvin (2260) [E69]
45th Selangor Open Chess Kuala Lumpur (4), 29.04.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 c6 6.0–0 d6 7.Nc3 Nbd7
The maneuver 7…Qa5 followed by Qh5 is in my repertoire. Once I even did 7…Qc7 and my opponent played 8.Bf4 then I went 8…Qa5 which is quite a bit funny, but playable.
8.e4 e5 9.h3 Re8
The Encyclopedia of Chess Openings regards the text move as the main line but nowadays Black usually goes for complications with 9…Qb6 10.c5 dxc5 11.dxe5 Ne8 12.e6!? with an unclear position although here Black has good chances for a full-blooded fight.
10.Re1 Qc7
I know that many people consider this position as good for White (Black’s position can get passive if he is not careful) but so far it has served me in good stead.
11.Be3 a5
My signature move.
12.b3
[12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 is my favorite kind of position. Black will play Bf8 and then maneuver his knight to d4 via d7–c5–e6–d4]
12…exd4 13.Nxd4 Nc5 14.Qc2 Bd7
The standard Pirc idea of doubling the rooks.
15.Rad1 Re7 16.Bf4 Rae8?
Objectively bad. 16…Ne8 seems forced.
17.g4
I underestimated the move 17.Nf5 here, which is probably White’s best. After 17…gxf5 18.Bxd6 Qb6 19.Bxe7 Rxe7 20.exf5 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 blacks pieces are uncoordinated, white’s pawns are also movable.
17…h6 18.Nde2
After 18.Re2 I was planning for a blockade on the dark squares after 18…Nh7 followed by …g7–g5 and …Be5.]
18…Ncxe4!
Realizing that my game was slipping into inferiority I calculated a long line which leads to an endgame.
19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Ng3 Nxg3 21.Rxe7 Rxe7 22.Bxd6
White thought he was winning but I was prepared for this.
22…Ne2+
[22…Qxd6 isn’t possible 23.Rxd6 Re1+ 24.Bf1!]
23.Kf1 Nd4! 24.Rxd4 Qb6 25.c5 Qb5+ 26.Qd3 Bxd4 27.Qxb5 cxb5= 28.Bxe7 Bc6 29.Bxc6 bxc6 30.a4 ½–½
 
Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant, he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
bobby@cpamd.net

Predictable

Game Two of the East Finals proved to be predictable. As expected, the Cavaliers moved to land the “heavyweight punch” that Celtics head coach Brad Stevens anticipated after the hosts walked away with the series opener. And, as expected, it came in the form of LeBron James early and often; just seven minutes and change had elapsed before the four-time National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player surpassed the 15 he put up in his immediate past outing. History said he was not going to come up with a second straight clunker, and he didn’t.
If the Cavaliers thought they would be due to deliver a knockout, however, they were mistaken. Again, as expected, the Celtics hung tough, falling behind by double digits in the midst of the clinic James was putting up, and yet managing to bring back the deficit to a manageable seven at the half. And so determined and resolute were the green and white that by the time the third quarter ended, the tide had changed for good. The relentless pressure induced an implosion that effectively made the final 12 minutes a testament to the power of confidence and sheer will.
In retrospect, the Cavaliers were, perhaps, unlucky to find James on the wrong end of a collision near the close of the first half; he suffered from a whiplash that had him heading to the locker room with 3:48 on the clock. He would check back in less than two minutes later with the lead still at 10, but the neck strain wound up tamping down his aggressiveness for the remainder of the contest. The ensuing predictability of the offense he headed told on them; they would score only 39 markers after the break, a no-no given their porous work on the other end of the court.
For the Cavaliers, the good news is that they have three days to make more adjustments to their game plan, which should coax more production from their starting guards. And, yes, James has twice led his teams to triumph from zero and two down, the 2016 Finals included. The bad news is that the Celtics have proven to be their kryptonite; any move they make has so far been trumped. Clearly, he has to be otherworldly for them to prevail. Otherwise, the result will be just as yesterday’s match turned out: predictable.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

FDC first-quarter earnings up by 18%

Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) delivered an 18% increase in net income for the first quarter of 2018, driven mainly by its property units and investments in the hospitality and leisure sector.
In a statement issued Wednesday, May 16, the Gotianun-led holding firm said it booked P2.8 billion in earnings in the first three months of the year. The company did not disclose the group’s consolidated revenues, but noted that 46% came from the property unit, 39% from banking, 11% from power, and 4% from sugar.
FDC’s higher share in property revenues was achieved thorugh a 21% growth in the hotel segment. Its unit, Filinvest Hospitality Corp. (FHC), offers a total of 1,591 rooms across four properties carrying the Crimson and Quest brands. — Arra B. Francia

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