Evi leads at Anniswati chess event

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Evi Lindiawati pulled clear at the top of the standings after four rounds of blitz matches in the inaugural Anniswati Memorial Cup chess tournament at the Peninsula Hotel here on Monday.

Evi, one of the four-strong national women's squad for the 2000 Chess Olympiad, defeated all four of her opponents, who were Stevanie Dian, Mia R., Imasniti and Steven Punyaman.

Three players followed half a point behind her -- veteran Upi D. Tamin, Susiana Handayani and Yulianti.

Upi, also a former Olympiad squad member, was held to a draw in the third round by Sulung Wahyuni.

Blitz games allow the players 25 minutes of thinking time. After four rounds were completed, the players will move to the Tanah Abang Chess Center, where they will play the five remaining rounds.

Another nine rounds, which will be played in conventional chess, are to follow until Sunday.

Earlier, committee chairman Rafiq Kamaludin said during the opening ceremony that the tournament sought to revive enthusiasm for chess among Indonesian women, who were once inspired by Upi's success of becoming Asian champion in 1996.

Thirty six women's players are taking part in the tournament, not only to pursue a total of Rp 7.5 million (US$750) in cash prizes but also to vie for a place in the national team for the 2003 South East Asia (SEA) Games in Vietnam.

"We are looking for between five and ten players to be recruited for a training camp. But we will have to complete the other two series in the tournament before we determine the shortlisted candidates," Eka Putra Wirya, the executive director of the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi), said.