Association bids for chess inclusion in SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Chess Association wants to see chess included in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games to which Jakarta will play host.

The reason, according to the association's deputy chairman Cholid Gozali, is that except for the Philippines and Vietnam, no other Southeast Asian country compares to Indonesia when it comes to chess.

"Filipino male chess players and Vietnamese female chess players are the only tough contenders for our chess wizards," Gozali was quoted as saying yesterday in Palu, Southeast Sulawesi, by Antara.

Even in Asia, Gozali said, "Our players believe that their strongest opponents come from China, India and Israel only."

But for practical purposes, Gozali said, "we can drop Israel off the strongest competitors list. The world chess body FIDE includes Israel in its European zone... and many Asian countries refuse to play Israeli players."

If chess should be included in the SEA Games, Gozali said, "we will see to it that the sport offers a total of 11 gold medals."

Eight of the medals will be given to players who collect the highest points on board one, board two, board three and board four for each gender. Two medals will go to the winners of the men's and women's teams, while the other medal will go to the overall winner, Gozali said.

As for the 14th National Games (Sept. 9 to Sept. 20), which will feature chess for the first time, the qualifying rounds have been completed.

The results are 10 men's teams and eight women's teams. All the teams in question will compete in the Games' final rounds. The National Games, Gozali added, will also offer 11 gold medals, the same number proposed for the SEA Games. (arf)