Corke making her moves on the world
Musthofid The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The rat-a-tat-tat of Anya Sun Corke drumming her feet on the floor sounded in the hushed hall in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. At times, as she prepared to make her next move, she stroked her long hair, absent-mindedly nuzzling strands of it against her cheek.
Eager chess fans -- accustomed to the impressive showings of visiting top women players such as Judith Polgar of Hungary, Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia and Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria -- watched intently to see what she would do next.
The prodigy, who will turn 15 in September, is of special interest compared to those who have visited before from chess' traditional strongholds. For Corke's home of Hong Kong is little recognized in the sporting world.
Before this week's six-match series again local prodigy Irene Kharisma, there was the inevitable hype of the visiting "wonder girl", but Corke has the credentials to back up the advance billing.
After winning her national championship in July last year, she carried on her winning ways at the Chess Olympiad in Mallorca, Spain, the following October.
Playing for Hong Kong's men's team, she scored nine points of a possible 13, earning her the title of the world's youngest Women's Grand Master (WGM).
On Tuesday, however, Irene took a 3-2 lead going into the final match on Wednesday. Corke showed her youth, and also the weight of expectations to win, by bursting in to tears after losing the four-hour tussle.
Corke is the only child of an English father, Harold Corke, and a British-Chinese mother Mei Sun, both lecturers at the University of Hong Kong.
She said on Monday she was drawn to chess because anybody could play the game. "I'm interested in chess because people can compete each other no matter what their age is."
Her success in the game has meant heavy time commitments, with practice ranging from two to four hours a day and a full schedule of trips to tournaments, mostly in Europe.
She participates in a long-distance study program to allow her to focus on her game.
Some may worry that she has lost her childhood, but she has no complaints.
"Well, I actually started playing chess when I was about 10. So I had a lot of time to play around before then. I think chess didn't affect my childhood."
Corke, a botanist, does not seem to fit the stereotype of the pushy parent willing his offspring to follow his lead. He let his daughter follow her heart's desire instead of his love of plants, or his wife's interest in zoology.
"The main reason is that Anya is not interested in science but in chess. I think everybody has to do what they most enjoy."
He must be aware that his daughter has the potential to reach Polgar's peak, but he said he was not concerned with setting future goals for her.
"I just expect to see that she comes to find something that she is interested in doing... to see how much she will continue and enjoy doing chess. I don't think much about how she wants to become like who. She has to decide for herself."
Corke, 48, said that he was surprised by their enthusiastic reception in Jakarta -- which included being greeted by media photographers on arrival at the airport.
"Hong Kong never sees anything about chess. There is only one national championship... no international tournaments, no trainer, no coaching, no financial support," he said.
"In comparison, chess in Indonesia and Singapore is much better organized."
Corke is coy about her future expectations, but mentioned that she wanted to emulate Polgar in achieving the men's GM distinction.
"I think it's (the Olympiad performance) one step ahead in my chess game. I hope to continue efforts to ... maybe get the men's GM title," she said.