Percasi welcomes Ibis chess tournament

Percasi welcomes Ibis chess tournament

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi)
welcomed the news that five Ibis hotels in Jakarta, one each in
Surabaya and Yogyakarta and Hotel Arcadia would host a university
chess tournament from Nov. 20 to Nov. 28.

"We welcome the initiative of the Ibis hotels in hosting the
chess tournament for the university students. Through the
tournaments we hope to develop talented chess players," Percasi
secretary-general Jamal Jamil said last Thursday.

Jamil also said the association would help the Ibis hotels
hold future chess tournaments. "We hope they will attract not
only students but also other people."

He said the tournaments would employ the Swiss system, where
each player meets their fellow competitors.

"The players with the most points will enter the following
rounds. Eight will make it to the quarterfinals, four to the
semifinals and two to the finals," he said.

The five Ibis hotels in Jakarta which will play host to the
tournament are Ibis Kemayoran, Ibis Slipi, Ibis Tamarin, Ibis
Mangga Dua and Ibis Cikarang. The Ibis hotels in Surabaya and
Yogyakarta also will serve as hosts.

Fabrice Burtin of Accor Asia Pacific, which operates the
hotels, said the tournament was limited to 30 people at each
hotel.

"We will not allow students who are National Masters to play
in the competition. The final round will be held at Ibis Mangga
Dua from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5. A total cash prize of Rp 15 million
will be offered to the winners," Burtin said, adding that there
were plans to make the tournament an annual event.

Grand Master Super Utut Adianto said he welcomed the
tournament and said he also was on the look out for talented
chess players.

"Probably we can create caliber players from the tournament,"
Utut said.

Accor Asia Pacific operates the Ibis, Sofitel, Novotel and
Mercure hotels and Formula I motels in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Ibis group, established in 1973, has expanded to over 400
hotels in 16 countries.

Ibis Kemayoran will host the tournament from Nov. 26 to Nov.
28; Ibis Slipi from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22; Ibis Mangga Dua from Nov.
26 to Nov. 28; and Ibis Cikarang from Nov. 26 to Nov. 28. Hotel
Arcadia will host it from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22.

Students who are interested in participating in the tournament
may register at one of the Ibis hotels. There is a registration
fee of Rp 50,000. (lnt)