Junior chess circuit to be held in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta will host the first series of the Open Junior Chess Circuit from March 16 to March 18 at the F. Sumanti Chess House of the Jakarta chapter in the National Sports Council (KONI) building on Jl. Tanah Abang I, Central Jakarta.

The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) spokesman Kristianus Liem said the participants would be divided into under-14 and under-18 for men, and under-18 for women.

"Winners of the under-18 men's and women's event will earn the Percasi Master (MP) title," he said in a media release which was made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The circuit offers medals and a total prize money of Rp 4 million (US$410). Registration would be open until March 12. Those interested in participating in the circuit can contact Purbadi from KONI's Jakarta chapter at (021) 3507616, the Percasi office at (021) 5731340 or the Utut Adianto chess school at (021) 82412452.

Percasi's official in charge of athletes development Eka Putra Wirya said Thursday that the circuit was part of the talent scouting program of the National Team Supervision Board (BPTN), a special body set up by Percasi on Jan. 19.

The board will pick the national players and drill them ahead of any multisport events like the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Asian Games and Chess Olympic Games.

Prospective chess players will be selected from a series of circuits in Jakarta, Medan (in May), Bandung (in June), Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (in August or September) and Surabaya (in September or October), Eka said.

"The best players in each circuit will be invited to join BPTN. We are working with the local authorities, the school where the participants are studying and the Ministry of National Education," Eka was quoted by Kristianus as saying on Thursday. (ivy)