RI to host Women's Grand Masters meet

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will host the international Women's Grand Masters chess tournament for the first time here next week.

Indonesian Chess Association Secretary-general Djamil Djamal said Tuesday that 13 female masters from seven countries would play in the tournament from Aug. 12 to Aug. 26.

Four Grand Masters (WGM) -- Nana Alexandria of Georgia, Peng Zhaoqin (the Netherlands), Daniela Nutu-Gajic (Australia) and Zsuzsa Veroci of Hungary -- will compete at the tournament.

Peng, a Chinese master who immigrated to the Netherlands, has the highest elo rating of 2,400 followed by Veroci and Nutu-Gajic with elo ratings of 2,305 each and Alexandria with an elo rating 2,295.

Two Women's International Masters (WIM) -- Thi Thuan Hoa Nguyen of Vietnam with an elo rating of 2,150 and Angela Khegai of Uzbekistan with an elo rating of 2,235 -- will also compete.

International Master Maria Lucia Ratna with elo rating 2,260 will lead Indonesia's bid to get the country's first women's GM Norm title. Also Indonesian International Masters are Upi Darmayana Tamin with elo rating 2210 and Lisa Karlina Lumongdong with elo rating 2,155. Four National Masters will also compete - Sri Vidawati, Imasniti, Darmayanti and Diah Saidah.

The tournament offers a total prize pool of US$5,750 and the winner will bag $1,500.

Djamil, who will be head referee at the eight-star tournament, said the association wants to have an Indonesian International Master win the country's first Norm WGM title in the competition.

"One of the three, Upi, Lisa or Maria, have to be able to win, at least, a nine victory-point from 12 rounds and win the first Norm WGM," he said.

Antara reported that Indonesia's three WIMs have been training with Russian coach Nikolai Andrianov at the Jakarta Enerpac Chess School for three months.

"I think they are very well prepared. Now it is up to them whether they will win before their public or not," Djamil said.

Djamil also said that Sri Vidawati stood a big chance of doing well in the future.

"She's very tough and we hope she can win 6.5 VPs at the tournament and take the title of International Master," he said. (yan)