Taufik, Susanto warm up in Bali

Taufik, Susanto warm up in Bali

JAKARTA (JP): Taufik Halai and Susanto Megaranto will compete
in the Bali Jeff Open chess tournament later this week to hone
their skills prior to the junior world chess championship.

While on the island of paradise, the two teenagers will take
on the country's top players, who are more than 15 years their
senior. The pack of chess wizards include former national number
ones Grand Master Ardiansyah and Grand Master Edhi Handoko.

Eka Putra Wirya, owner of the Enerpac chess school where the
two teenagers learned the subtle sport, said he was expecting
nothing from the Oct. 1 to Oct. 5 event but to provide his
prodigies experience ahead of the world championship in Spain at
the end of October.

"But I believe they'll shine after months of drilling," Eka
said as quoted by Antara on Tuesday. Both Taufik and Susanto
spearheaded an Indonesian team that won the Merdeka Cup chess
tournament in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Some 120 players will take part in the Bali event, which has
an Rp 8 million purse. Governor Made Dewa Beratha is expected to
open the competition. (lnt)