Masters Upi and Maria invited to Holland, Spain

JAKARTA (JP): Two Indonesian Women International Masters, Upi Darmayana Tamin and Maria Lucia Ratna, have been invited to compete in three chess competitions in the Netherlands and Spain in December and January 1998.

The Indonesian Chess Association's secretary-general, Djamil Djamal, said Friday that Upi and Maria would compete in the 36th annual chess tournament in Groningen, the Netherlands, from Dec. 19 to Dec. 30.

They will also compete in the fifth Anibal from Jan. 8 to Jan. 17 and the third Ciudad de Ubeda from Jan. 20 to Jan. 29, both in Spain.

"The invitations from other countries are an honor for our women chess players. The association will provide the facilities and the budget," he said, as quoted by Antara.

Djamil said European tournaments were very prestigious because many world class players competed in them and that it would be bad if Upi and Maria could not go because of financial problems.

"This is the perfect chance for Upi and Maria to improve their competitive spirit, to improve their elo ratings and, if possible, to become the first (Indonesian) Norma Women Grand Masters," he said.

Djamil said the International Chess Federation (FIDE) president, Kyrzan Iliumzhinov, was visiting Indonesia from yesterday until next Saturday.

"His visit was strictly business because his trip was arranged by the Tirta Mas Group, chaired by Hasyim S. Djojohadikusumo," he said.

Iliumzhinov has sent a letter to the association asking to meet the association's chairman Akbar Tanjung.

"We still have no idea about Iliumzhinov's visit but the FIDE chairman has arranged a meeting with the association on Nov. 4," Djamil said. (yan)