Kosteniuk won't take the kids lightly

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

World runner-up Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia brushed aside speculation that she would probably take her opponents -- three Indonesian juniors -- lightly at the Japfa Chess Match starting on Monday.

"I don't look at them as kids. I take seriously everyone on the chess board," the 18-year-old women's chess star told a press conference here on Sunday.

"What I do is play the game and, like everyone else, I will be trying hard to win. You must be serious if you want to win," she added.

Kosteniuk, who lost to Chinese Zhu Chen in the 2002 World Championship finals, is set to face 12-year-old Andrean Susilodinata, Susanto Megaranto, 15, and Tirta Chandra Purnama, 16, in a six-day chess contest at the VOC Cafe and Gallery in North Jakarta.

Two games in two days are to be played against each of the opponents and she is to hold the black pieces in the first game. Andrean is her opponent on the opening two days.

"I know little about my opponents. I had a look at a few of the their games in my chessbase. But It's not enough for me to judge their style," Kosteniuk said.

Kosteniuk will get US$6,000 in an appearance fee, which is far below that paid to a number of the world's stars, including Anatoly Karpov, during the 2000 Japfa Classic in Bali.

But she hinted that she was not too preoccupied by the fee. "I like to see new places. I'm pleased to play here. I'm surprised by their responses. I want to play the game and hopefully see chess develop in Indonesia," she said.

The three Indonesian juniors, who have represented their country in as many international junior tournaments, were typically coy about their matches.

Little could be learned about what they had in mind as they were almost speechless. They would respond only when asked whether they would be looking for wins, but their remarks were brief.

"I'll try," Susanto said. "I can (win)," added Andrean.

Tirta, the oldest among them, was more elaborative when he said he was one hundred percent hungry for a win.

Also present at Sunday's conference were Eka Putra Wirya, the chairman of the organizing committee, team coach GM Utut Adianto, Machnan R. Kamaluddin, the chairman of the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi), and Artsanti Alfi, a representative of sponsor Japfa Comfeed.