Victory Behind Bars

The MERALCO Chess Club rejoices with the entire MERALCO Family on the dismissal of the syndicated estafa case filed against our Officers and Directors. And, from a chess player's point of view, the best way to celebrate the good news is to look at another victory over the board.

Allow me to present as Exhibit "A" the game of "Grandmaster" Edson Gonzales of Alabang Business Center at the recent Las Pinas City Jail Outreach match whihc Judge Joselito Vibandor of Las Pinas RTC sustained.


Exhibit "A"

Rafael of LPCJ vs Edson GONZALES

Las Pinas City Jail Outreach Match

September 27, 2008

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Bc5 4 Bc4 Nf6

The Game of Chess, “In the Opening every tempo must, whenever possible, be utilized for development, so that the essential pawns are moved with all speed, and the minor pieces developed.”

5 Ng5 O-O

Winning Chess Openings, “The purpose of the opening is to get a safe king and an equal middle game.”

6 BxP+ RxB 7 NxR KxR

Edson of Alabang Business Center is a 3-time veteran of the Bilibid Prison Outreach Matches, thus this type of aggressiveness is just a walk in the park for him.

8 b3 d6 9 Bb2 Bg4

Manual of Chess, “Two bishops always complement each other, the action of one never doubles nor obstructs that of the other.”

10 f3 Bh5 11 g4 Bg6 12 g5? Nh5

Logical Chess, “The pawn that has moved forward itself becomes a target for direct attack, while the square it guarded earlier becomes a landing field for the enemy’s troops.”

13 Qe2? Nd4 14 Qd1 QxP 15 Nd5 Qh4+

Best Lessons of a Chess Coach, “It is best to weaken the position first. First break up the position, then you penetrate with the queen.”

16 Kf1 Qh3+ 17 Ke1 NxP+

Portable Chess Coach, “Once your pieces are developed, you have to aim them toward the enemy king, and the potential escape squares surrounding it.”

18 Ke2 Qg2+ 19 Kd3 Nf4+

20 Kc3? Bd4+ 21 Kb4 NxN

My System, “We destroy a defender by exchanging.”

22 PxN a5+ 23 Ka4 Qg4+ 24 c4 Qd7# [0-1].

Such coordination of pieces reminds me of the Parable of the Vine and Branches to which Fr. Carino in Verdant Pastures wrote, “When our relationship with Jesus blossoms into good relationships with others, when we are concerned about and actually help the sick, the poor, the lonely – all those who suffer – then we as branches make the vine thrive and bear much fruits.”