Chess body pushes bid for WGM title

Chess body pushes bid for WGM title

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) is taking another
step to produce the country's first women's grand master by
hosting an international women's tournament after an eight-year
absence.

Six local hopefuls will meet foreign counterparts in the
US$7,000 Jababeka Women's International Chess Tournament. The
weeklong 11-round will take place at the Kartika Chandra Hotel in
Central Jakarta beginning on Friday.

Local players are Women's International Master (WIM) Upi
Darmayana Tamin, WIM Lisa Lumongdong, Women's FIDE Master (WFM)
Irene Kharisma, Evi Lindiawati, Sri Vidawati and Stefani Dian
Cheri.

Visiting contenders include Women's Grand Master (WGM) Nana
Alexandria (Georgia), WIM Jana Krivec (Slovenia), WFM Adelaida
Zakharova (Russia) WIM Khegai Angela (Uzbekistan), Hui Dawn
(Singapore) and Roslina Marmono (Malaysia).

The tournament is part of Percasi's declared objective to
produce the first women's grand master.

"We are keen to realize all the programs that have been drawn
up to bring our women's chess to the world. This is the first
step to pave the way for our players to gain an IM," association
secretary Harry Jaya Pahlawan said in a release here on
Wednesday.

A player who manages to collect at least 7.5 points from 11
rounds will earn an IM norm, the first requirement to obtaining a
full IM title.

"Let's see how our players fare in the tournament. And then we
may start thinking about organizing a GM tournament," he said.

At the last women's international tournament here in 1997,
Upi, Lisa and Sri were among seven national players in the event.

Foreign players swept the top places, with Nana finishing
third. Angela, the only other foreign player making her return
this week, shared fourth place with Upi.

The chess association is pinning its hopes on 14-year-old
Irene, whose improved performance has earned her the FM title.

The rising star will face an uphill task against rated players
such as the vastly experienced Nana, who obtained her WIM title
in 1966 and the WGM title 10 years later.

She was also the Women's World Championship challenger twice,
losing to Nona Gaprindashvili in 1975 and drawing with Maia
Chiburdanidze in 1981.

A simultaneous game featuring women's world champion Xie Jun
of China against 27 members of the national women's team for the
Southeast Asian Games and national junior team will also be held.