Irwanto, Yoseph vie for last slot at Wismilak chess tournament
Irwanto, Yoseph vie for last slot at Wismilak chess tournament
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Irwanto Sadikin and Yoseph R. Majella, both FIDE chess masters,
will be involved in a clash in a bid to take the last slot for
the Wismilak International Grandmaster Championship tournament in
Surabaya next week.
The Wismilak tournament, which offers a total of US$6,000 (Rp
54 million) in cash prizes, will run from July 22 to July 28 with
twelve players vying for the title.
However, while eleven names, including four foreign players,
have already been secured, the organizing committee will have to
hold a playoff for the last berth between Irwanto and Yoseph.
"We have decided to pit the two players in a two-game playoff
on Saturday. This is fair because both are equal in the rankings
for the Wismilak tournament," committee chairman Eka Putra Wirya
told The Jakarta Post here on Thursday.
The Wismilak tournament is an eight-tier chess event with the
participants averaging a chess rating of 2426, according to
committee official Kristianus Liem, who is also a chess
columnist.
"The inclusion of either Irwanto or Yoseph will not undermine
the tournament's average strength," Kris said.
Meanwhile, Irwanto and Yoseph, who were contacted separately
on Thursday, said they were ready for the match if it was the
fair way to fill the last slot.
Yoseph, who said that he had heard the news about the plan in
the press, said that he was confident after having met Irwanto
several times.
"I won five times in the last five or six matches. But I will
by no means underestimate him. Nonetheless, the recent matches
will at least give me confidence," he said while he and his
Jakarta contingent were about to return from their National
Championship run in Palembang, South Sumatra.
Yoseph's current elo-rating is 2383 compared to Irwanto's
2362.
Irwanto was initially a bit perturbed with planned playoff,
claiming he was more eligible for the inclusion.
"Why should there be a playoff? Being the 2001 national
champion, I deserve to be awarded the chance because I have
rarely had the opportunity to play in international tournaments.
It should be a reward for winning the national championship,"
Irwanto said.
"I did go to the SEA Games but it was only an exhibition," he
said, referring to the 2001 biennial multi-event sporting
showcase in Kuala Lumpur, where he won a silver medal.
He also appeared to be as confident as his upcoming opponent.
"As it has been decided, I'm ready to take up the challenge.
I'm more confident because it is a playoff," Irwanto said, adding
the odds were fifty-fifty.
The eleven names already confirmed for the Wismilak tournament
are (Indonesia unless mentioned) Women's Grandmaster (WGM)
Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria/2497 rating), GM Zaw Win Lay
(Myanmar/2531), International Master (IM) Nay Oo Kyaw Tun
(Myanmar/2504), IM Enrique Paciencia (Philippines/2483), GM Edhi
Handoko (2431), GM Ardiansyah (2411), IM Danny Juswanto (2520),
FM Hamdani Rudin (2375), Cecep Kosasih, Susanto Megaranto and
Andrean Susilodinata.