JAPFA, Enerpac lead Group A, B

JAKARTA (JP): Favorite Japfa Chess Club (CC), which boasts four Grand Masters on its book, beat Semen Padang club 4-0 in the Group A first round match of the Indonesian Chess League 2000 in Surabaya on Saturday.

Indonesia's top player GM Utut Adianto beat Johan Rahangiar on the first table, GM Alex Wojkiewicz (Poland) defeated National Master (NM) Dody Asrialdi, GM Darryl Johansen (Australia) overcome NM Unus Prayitno and GM Edhi Handoko outclassed the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) Master (PM) Masjidil.

In another Group A match, BTPN from Bandung beat Bali team 3-1 and Gunadarma of Jakarta won 4-0 against East Java women's team. South Sulawesi team got a bye, said league spokesman Kristianus Liem in a press release.

In Group B, BNI 46 narrowly won 2.5-1.5 against South Sumatra, the Enerpac chess school team of Jakarta, who have four members of the Dream Team plus International Master (IM) Bong Villamayor of the Philippines, beat Jayakarta Muda of Jakarta 3-1.

East Java men's team won 3.5-0.5 against South Kalimantan team while Bali Jeff team, which has Philippines GM Eugene Torre and GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., got a bye.

East Java Governor Imam Utomo opened the league on Saturday which will last until Wednesday.(ivy)