Obituary of FΑ Roberto Hernandez (1956-2026)

January 10, 2026 was a very sad day for chess in Palau. Roberto Hernandez, whom we all called the Godfather of Chess in Palau sadly passed away.

I first came to meet Roberto when he came to Australia to play in the Oceania Zonal held in the Gold Coast, Australia back in 2009. He was a very energetic person when it came to chess and wanted to do a lot for the newly recognised Palau Chess Federation.

Roberto was the founder of the Palau Chess Federation. He did everything from being the Secretary and Treasurer of the Federation to writing chess columns and as far as going in giving free chess lessons to people in Palau. He was the main arbiter for many years in Palau.

He got the FA title in 2019 and was the only arbiter ever from Palau to be an Arbiter at an Olympiad. This Olympiad was in Chennai, India in 2022. Roberto’s appearances at Olympiads never stopped short as he attended from 2010 to 2024 being his last.

Roberto’s passion for chess was shown through everything he did. Outside of chess though, he had a passion for music and singing, just like the late Casto “Toti” Abundo. He played music to so many people in Palau that everyone knew who Roberto was.

In this time of need, our thoughts and prayers are with Roberto’s wife, children and grandchildren. My dear friend, may you Rest in Peace and you will never be forgotten.

Sulang Roberto