KONI wants more than three golds<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Sports Council (KONI) has set a modest target for
\nthe Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) at the upcoming
\nSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games in December.<\/p>\n
The next biennial games, which will be hosted by Vietnam, will
\nmark the maiden inclusion of chess on the list of sports.<\/p>\n
The demand for a greater achievement was voiced by KONI
\nchairman Agum Gumelar on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Why is it only three? As a country with population of around
\n220 million, Indonesia should be one of the chess powers, not
\nonly in Southeast Asia but in all of Asia,\" Agum said while
\naddressing the opening ceremony of the Japfa Chess Festival here.<\/p>\n
Percasi has set itself a target of winning three of the eight
\ngold medals on offer in the chess competition.<\/p>\n
The festival, which features 536 chess players in five classes
\nincluding one being exhibited among public figures, serves as the
\nqualifying field ahead of the formation of the national team.<\/p>\n
With a plan to send six men and six women to Vietnam and with
\nfour places having been awarded to four top national players,
\nPercasi has been looking for another four each in the men's and
\nwomen's field.<\/p>\n
The new recruits will be selected from a shortlist of
\ncandidates picked from a series of tournaments, including the
\nongoing Japfa event.<\/p>\n
Percasi chairman Machnan Kamaluddin said they would have good
\nprospects in the men's competition with Grand Master (GM) Utut
\nAdianto, who has just secured a place in the next World
\nChampionship, as the ace.<\/p>\n
\"I understand why Pak Agum asked about our target. He is still
\nunaware about our real strength and the region in the general,\"
\nhe said, citing host Vietnam could be a strong contender along
\nwith the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Susanto Megaranto, who is assured of an
\nInternational Master (IM) title after his impressive performance
\nat the recent Gunadarma Open, was upset in the opening round of
\nthe master's competition at the Japfa event.<\/p>\n
Susanto, 16-year-old, who is the top seed in the nine-round
\ntournament, was held to a draw by non-master Nurji Kembi.<\/p>\n
\"Susanto should have beaten his opponent given their recent
\nrecords. On the board it was an unexpected result that Susanto
\ngot,\" chess columnist Kristianus Liem said.<\/p>\n
Kristianus said Susanto seemed to have a jinx with a defensive
\nopponent.<\/p>\n
\"He will find difficulty against an opponent who plays a safe
\ngame and avoids taking risk. Nurji played a defensive game
\nagainst Susanto,\" Kristianus said.<\/p>\n
Other seeds showed their value with GM Cerdas Barus, GM Edhi
\nHandoko and FIDE Master (FM) Hamdani Rudin beating their
\nrespective opponents.<\/p>",
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