Polgar-Utut chess duel beckons

JAKARTA (JP): Hungarian Grandmaster Judit Polgar is expected to arrive in the capital Sunday for a chess duel with Indonesian GM Utut Adianto.

Polgar's entourage includes her sister Sofia and two other people.

The players will vie for US$10,000 (Rp 23.5 million) in prize money. The contest will run for seven days from Dec. 12 to Dec. 18 at Wisma Tugu. The state-run Indonesian radio station RRI will broadcast the entire tournament.

The contest is being staged by the Indonesian Chess Association in cooperation with a pharmacy firm.

Polgar who is ranked 18th in the world, will play her first game on Dec. 12, one of four simultaneous 25-minute games. It be followed by two rounds of blind chess, a format where neither player sees the game board.

The tournament is open to the public and a large monitor showing the moves will be provided to facilitate viewing.

While Polgar is concentrating on her contest with Utut, Sofia will play a simultaneous game with Indonesian players MI Maria Ratna Lucia, MI Upi D. Tamin and MI Lisa Lumondong. Sofia will play two games with each of the local players.

Akbar Tandjung, the association's chairman, is expected to open the event on Dec. 11. (lnt)