Chess squad faces uphill battle
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The national chess team is expecting a tough time at the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila, with the hosts and Vietnam looming as difficult rivals.
Hiring foreign coaches and international competition are part of the team's preparation in facing the opposition.
Utut Adianto will be called upon to repeat his gold-medal winning performance from 2003 in Hanoi, with an up-and-coming trio of Susanto Megaranto, Taufik Halay and Tirta Chandra expected to spring surprises.
"Vietnam and Philippines are without doubt our close rivals. However, we are optimistic that we can steal two gold medals," Hendry Djamal, one of the coaching staff, said.
Utut, who has a career-high rating of 2615, has considerable international experience, including as the only Indonesian to compete in a world chess championships.
Despite a dip in his performance, with his rating sliding to 2588, Utut is still a level above his teammates. His Hanoi gold saved face for Indonesia.
Chess is offering eight golds this year, in the men's standard (team/individual), rapid (team/individual), blitz (individual); women's standard (team/individual) and blitz (individual).
The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) is grooming eight men and seven women for Manila.
Although the country's best hope, Utut's dual role on Percasi's board of directors, led by new chairman Eddie Widiono, has raised concerns about his focus on training.
However, the Indonesian number one brushed aside the fears.
"In an ideal situation, I wouldn't be in the organization. But it has caused little distraction in the preparation. Generally speaking, we are on track."
Percasi also sent Susanto, Taufik and Tirta to Europe for a series of five leading tournaments, and have enjoyed good results in the first three events.
"They are our trump card. Particularly Susanto, he has shown that he is up for the challenge against the world's grand masters," Utut said of the 17 year old tipped to take over from him in the future.
Susanto, who is the country's youngest player to attain a GM title, was runner-up to Utut in Hanoi. He is performing well in the runup to Manila, and took Vietnamese ace Dao Thien Hai to the wire in a matchup in Jakarta in June.
He has done well in the European tour stops of the Amsterdam Championship and Dutch Open, and is sure to add points to his current rating of 2499.
Percasi is also set to hire foreign coaches, yet to be named, to help prepare the team for the SEA Games.
"We have got approval from the Chinese federation to assign a coach to take charge of our women's players," Hendry said.
The association also recruited Evgeny Sveshnikov, a renowned GM from Russia, to get the men's players ready. "We have sent the proposal and are now waiting news whether he can be available for the team," he said.
While the men's competition is seen as a close fight among Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, the women's competition is likely to be dominated Vietnam.
All four of Vietnam's golds in 2003 were contributed by its women players. It was the overall medal winner, followed by the Philippines with three golds and Indonesia with Utut's first- place finish.
Top women's player Lisa Lumongdong is hopeful the Chinese coaching presence would help in closing the gap with the Vietnamese.
A rising star is Irene Kharisma, who is predicted to become Indonesia's women's grand master. The 13 year old gained a FIDE Master (FM) title in last year's world championship in Spain.
However, she may not be able to overcome the formidable Vietnamese, spearheaded by world traveler Hoang Thanh Trang.
------------------------ Chess team Men: GM Utut Adianto, GM Susanto Megaranto, GM Edhi Handoko, IM Danny Juswanto, IM Ivan Situru, FM Tirto, FM Taufik Halay, FM Tirta Chandra Women: Lisa Lumongdong, WFM Irene Kharisma, Ai Jakiah, Evie Lindiawati, Stefanie Dian Chery, Tri Handayani, Norasa Verdiana