WGM Corke making her moves on the world
WGM Corke making her moves on the world
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The rat-a-tat-tat of Anya Sun Corke drumming her feet on the
floor sounded in the hushed hall in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.
At times, as she prepared to make her next move, she stroked her
long hair, absent-mindedly nuzzling strands of it against her
cheek.
Eager chess fans -- accustomed to the impressive showings of
visiting top women players such as Judith Polgar of Hungary,
Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia and Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria
-- watched intently to see what she would do next.
The prodigy, who will turn 15 in September, is of special
interest compared to those who have visited before from chess'
traditional strongholds. For Corke's home of Hong Kong is little
recognized in the sporting world.
Before this week's six-match series against local prodigy
Irene Kharisma, there was the inevitable hype of the visiting
"wonder girl", but Corke has the credentials to back up the
advance billing.
After winning her national championship in July last year,
she carried on her winning ways at the Chess Olympiad in
Mallorca, Spain, the following October.
Playing for Hong Kong's men's team, she scored nine points of
a possible 13, earning her the title of the world's youngest
Women's Grand Master (WGM).
On Tuesday, however, Irene took a 3-2 lead going into the
final match on Wednesday. Corke showed her youth, and also the
weight of expectations to win, by bursting into tears after
losing the four-hour tussle.
Corke is the only child of an English father, Harold Corke,
and a British-Chinese mother Mei Sun, both lecturers at the
University of Hong Kong.
She said on Monday she was drawn to chess because anybody
could play the game. "I'm interested in chess because people can
compete against each other no matter what their age is."
Her success in the game has meant heavy time commitments, with
practice ranging from two to four hours a day and a full schedule
of trips to tournaments, mostly in Europe.
She participates in a long-distance study program to allow her
to focus on her game.
Some may worry that she has lost her childhood, but she has no
complaints.
"Well, I actually started playing chess when I was about 10.
So I had a lot of time to play around before then. I think chess
didn't affect my childhood."
Corke, a botanist, does not seem to fit the stereotype of the
pushy parent willing his offspring to follow his lead. He let his
daughter follow her heart's desire instead of his love of plants,
or his wife's interest in zoology.
"The main reason is that Anya is not interested in science but
in chess. I think everybody has to do what they most enjoy."
He must be aware that his daughter has the potential to reach
Polgar's peak, but he said he was not concerned with setting
future goals for her.
"I just expect to see that she comes to find something that
she is interested in doing... to see how much she will continue
and enjoy doing chess. I don't think much about how she wants to
become like who. She has to decide for herself."
Corke, 48, said that he was surprised by their enthusiastic
reception in Jakarta -- which included being greeted by media
photographers on arrival at the airport.
"Hong Kong never sees anything about chess. There is only one
national championship... no international tournaments, no
trainer, no coaching, no financial support," he said.
"In comparison, chess in Indonesia and Singapore is much
better organized."
Corke is coy about her future expectations, but mentioned that
she wanted to emulate Polgar in achieving the men's GM
distinction.
"I think it's (the Olympiad performance) one step ahead in my
chess game. I hope to continue efforts to ... maybe get the men's
GM title," she said.