Ehlvest aims for slot in top three

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Grand Master (GM) Jaan Ehlvest of Estonia says he is aiming at finishing in the top three at the US$56,500 JAPFA Classic International Chess Tournament in Sanur, Bali, from April 22 to May 2.

"It's difficult to say. But certainly it's normal to finish in third place," he told The Jakarta Post upon arriving at Ngurah Rai International Airport here on Wednesday.

Ehlvest, whose elo rating is 2622, named the 1975 to 1985 and 1993 to 1999 FIDE world champion GM Anatoly Karpov and FIDE world champion GM Alexander Khalifman, both from Russia, as tough rivals.

"It's not catastrophic. It's an interesting tournament. The winner will depend on those who have the best form," he said.

He said he had warmed up in several tournaments, including an open tournament in Rijkjavik, Iceland, where he finished second after host player GM Hones Stevanson.

"I have made special preparation for this tournament," he said.

Ehlvest said he had not brought along a technical advisor.

"I'm fully professional. I trust myself," he said.

Other players include GM Jan Timman (the Netherlands, 2655), women's chess player GM Judit Polgar (Hungary, 2658), GM Yasser Seirawan (United States, 2647), International Master (IM) Zaw Win Lay (Myanmar, 2633) and host players GM Utut Adianto (2584) and GM Ruben Gunawan (2510).

Khalifman, who has an elo rating of 2656, arrived here on Tuesday, along with Brazilian GM Gilberto Milos Junior (2586).

Karpov and Zaw will arrive on Friday afternoon. Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri will open the 16th category tournament at Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur, on Saturday.

Timman and Polgar arrived on Wednesday night. They visited Jakarta on Monday.

The tournament is a 16th category event, the highest category tournament ever staged in Asia, and attended by 10 chess players with elo ratings ranging from 2500 to 2600.

It is Ehlvest's second visit to Indonesia. He and a few other world players like GM Eugene Torre (the Philippines), GM Erik Van den Doel (the Netherlands) and Darryl Johansen (Australia) challenged the Indonesian team in the Match of the Millennium in May last year.

The world team lost 15.5-16.5 to the Indonesian team, consisting of Utut, GM Edy Handoko, IM Denny Juswanto, and IM Cerdas Barus.(ivy)