Chess team to meet Megawati

JAKARTA (JP): A team from the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) is scheduled to meet Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the vice president's palace on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

Percasi's spokesman Kristianus Liem said on Saturday that the meeting with Megawati was to ask the Vice President to open the Japfa Classic International Chess Tournament in Sanur, Bali on April 22.

"We have asked the Vice President to provide a trophy for the women's national chess tournament which will be held in August," Kristianus said.

The team includes Wismoyo Arismunandar (National Sports Council chairman), Machnan R Kamaluddin (acting Percasi chairman), Eka Putra Wirya (Percasi), Grand Master Utut Adianto, Syamsir (Japfa Comfeed) and Tjokorda Ngurah Agung Kusumayudha (Percasi's Bali chapter).

The Japfa Classic will be held from April 22 to May 2. The tournament, included as category 16, will be participated in by top grandmasters from various countries, such as Anatoly Karpov from Russia (FIDE world champion 1975-1985 and 1993-1999) and Alexander Khalifman (FIDE world champion 1999-2000), also from Russia.

Indonesia will be represented by Utut and Ruben Gunawan. (lnt)