Silver: CHRISTMAS CUP

Gold - JC Andan
Silver - Rhal Sol Cruz, Jr.
Bronze - Aldrich Alcausin

Sol Cruz vs Alcausin

WORKSHOP GAMES
MERALCO, Pasig City
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
B: Aldrich ALCAUSIN
SICILIAN DEFENSE



RESULT: 1-0


16.Rdf1??
This loses a piece; Bg5 via 16... Qc5+.

Andan vs Sol Cruz

Workshop Games
MERALCO, PAsig City
White: JC Andan
Black: Rhal Sol Cruz



Result: 1-0

Sol Cruz vs del Rosario

WORKSHOP GAMES
MERALCO, Pasig City
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
B: PHILIP DEL ROSARIO



RESULT: 1-0

SILVER: MANDALUYONG MEET

LA SALLE Greenhills pawnpushers topped the 2009 Mandaluyong City DepEd Division Meet Chess recently at the Neptali Gonzales Elementary School in Nueve de Pebrero, Mandaluyong City.
Giovanni Mejia of LSGH captured the gold medal while teammate Rhal Sol Cruz won the silver in the Elementary boys division in the event backed by the Mandaluyong City local government and DepEd Mandaluyong City.
http://www.bandera.ph/mainitinitpa/mainitinitpa/view/20091219-4701/LSGH-rules-Mandaluyong-DepEd-chess

NM Maga vs Sol Cruz

Training Game
Q's Gambit Declined
Pasig City, Philippines
Game 1 G/30
W: NM Mirabeu MAGA
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.

1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 e6 3 c4 Nf6 4 Qc2 Nbd7 5 Bg5 Be7 6 Nd2 h6 7 Bh4 O-O 8 Rc1 c6 9 e3 Re8 10 Bd3 Nf8 11 O-O dxc4 12 Nxc4 b5 13 Ne5 Bb7 14 Nxc6 Bxc6 15 Qxc6 a6 16 Ne5 Qa5 17 a3 Rec8 18 Qb7 Rab8 19 Qxe7

Hataw

LSGH, RTU Woodpushers Kampeon

LSGH, RTU Woodpushers Kampeon (2009 Mandaluyong City DepEd Div. Chess Meet): "Si Giovanni Mejia, nasa ilalim ng kandili ni LSGH head coach IA/NM Erwin Carag ang kumuha ng gold medal habang ang teammate naman na si Rhal Sol Cruz ang nagbulsa ng silver medal sa Elementary Boys divisions sa event na suportado ng Mandaluyong City local government at ng DepEd Mandaluyong City, nasa pangangasiwa nina Bernardino Duran (arbiter) at Eddie Bugaoan (tournament manager)."

Sol Cruz vs NM Maga

FRENCH DEFENSE, EXCHANGE VARIATION
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
B: NM MAGA
Result: 0-1

DISTRICT MEET R3

ELEMENTARY - BOYS
MANDALUYONG CITY
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr. - LSGH
B; Erwin VELASCO - DPCGES
R3 BD2



TURNING ADVANTAGE INTO VICTORY
by ANDREW SOLTIS
The first step to winning a won game is to simplify.

DISTRICT MEET R2

MANDALUYONG MEET
R2 BD2
W: Roel DEMILLO
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.



RESULT: 0-1

NM Vasquez

SCOTCH GAMBIT
W: NM Andrew VASQUEZ
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
Palmera Heights, Cainta, Rizal



[1-0]

2nd Gold: PRADA Best in Board 3

Rhal scored 8 wins in 9 games to capture the gold medal on Board 3 in his first PRADA stint participated in by 10 private schools in Metro Manila. This year's edition was hosted by MARIST of Marikina.

2nd Gold: PRADA Best in Board 3

Ateneo de Manila University

R9: Sol Cruz vs Relativo

PRADA R9
La Salle vs Marist
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr. - La Salle
B: Paul RELATIVO - Marist
BD 3



RESULT: 1-0

This was the last round of the tournament and with the win Rhal finished with an amazing 8 wins in 9 games and won the gold medal for Board 3.

Training w/ NM Bagamasbad

RHAL TRAINED UNDER NM EFREN BAGAMASBAD, A FORMER UST VARSITY PLAYER. ACTUALLY, RHAL HAS ATTENDED TWO (2) WORKSHOPS WITH NM EFREN; IN 2008 AT MERALCO AND AT LA SALLE. BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE-ON-ONE SESSION.

THE SESSION WAS SPENT IN ANALYZING HIS LOSSES AT JAKARTA AND NM'S ANALYSIS WERE INCORPORATED IN THOSE GAMES; SEE NOVEMBER ARCHIVE FOR THE GAMES.

NM EFREN IS THE 5TH MASTER TO TRAIN HIM, AFTER GM BONG AND NM'S VASQUEZ, GATUS, AND CARAG. I WANT HIM TO EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT MASTERS TO FIND THE BEST STUDENT-TEACHER COMBINATION. BUT OF COURSE, GM BONG VILLAMAYOR IS HIS HEAD COACH, TO WHOM HE HAS ATTENDED SIX (6) 3-HOUR SESSION SINCE OCTOBER 2009 AND WHO HAS BEEN PREPARING HIS OPENING SYSTEM. THERE WERE ALSO A PAIR OF WORKSHOP W/ IM RUDY CARDOSO IN MERALCO AND LA SALLE AND ONE ONE-ON-ONE SESSION AT MANG RUDY'S HOME, ALL IN 2008. HE ALSO HAS ONE (1) SESSION WITH GM EUGENE TORRE ON THE Q'S GAMBIT DECLINED IN OCT 2009, JUST BEFORE THE JAKARTA APSSO 2009.

TWH

http://www.tahanangwalanghagdanan.org/news_events_twh.htm

TWH KIDDIES CUP

Rhal played confidently scoring 5 wins and 1 loss to Renato Cruz Jr of Taytay to finish in a tie for 3rd to 4th place with Jefferson Saltorio of Manila. Rhal also won a medal for the Best Player of Cainta for being the highest scorer among residents of Cainta where Tahanan Walang Hagdanan is located.

R8: Sol Cruz vs Atkins

PRADA
La Salle vs Brent
MARIST, Marikina City
W: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
B: Blaine ATKINS
R8 BD3



Logical Chess
The posting of a R on the 7th rank, in the middle game or the ending, is a tremendous positional advantage.

Result: 1-0

R7: Tanyag vs Sol Cruz

PRADA R7
Lourdes vs La Salle
W: Aaron TANYAG
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.
Board 3



RESULT: 0-1

THE CHESS PLAYER'S HANDBOOK
It is usually good play to get command of an open file, that is to say, a file which is occupied by no other man, by stationing a R at one end of it.

WHITE TO MOVE

Sol Cruz vs Sol Cruz

RUY LOPEZ - MARSHALL ATTACK
Training
W: Rolly SOL CRUZ
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ, Jr.



Result: 0-1

BLACK TO MOVE