Top chess players take on machines

National chess begins its 2005 program with an unprecedented man vs. computer matchup, to be staged in Jakarta on Monday and Tuesday.

The matchup will pit four human players against four computerized chess programs, the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) announced on Saturday.

GM (Grand Master) Utut Adianto, who has been the national chess icon for the past two decades, will lead the men's squad, which includes the young, talented GM Susanto Megaranto, 17, FM (FIDE Master) Tirta Chandra Purnama, 18, and FM Taufik Halay, 17.

The four are among Indonesia's best athletes from various sports being groomed in the Indonesia Awakens (IA) program for the 2006 Asian Games.

They will pit their talents against programs Fritz8, Junior8, Shredder8 and Chess Master 9000.

The games will be staged at the Wisma Karsa Pemuda building, outside the Bung Karno sports compound in South Jakarta.

The men will play each of the computers, and will be allowed 60 minutes of thinking time.

"The audience can view the match live on a big screen. And we are currently attempting to work out an Internet connection through www.indochess.com so that the match is accessible online worldwide," Percasi official Kristianus Liem said in the release.

State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault is expected to officiate at the opening of the match. -- JP