FM Nurdin Askali of South Celebes surprisingly emerged victorious in the chess event. He collected 8 VP. FM Irwanto Sadikin (DKI Jakarta) gained the same VP but lost on the PS tie-break. At the third place was FM Kasmiran (DKI Jakarta). The Elo favorites FM Maksum Firdaus and FM Irawan Tjhin could only score 50%.
The Women World Champion 2004-6 GM Antoaneta Stefanova took two Indonesian WGMs, Medina Warda Aulia and Irene Kharisma Sukandar, in a match at SCUA (Utut Adianto Chess School), Bekasi. The match featured 4 rounds blitz and 2 rounds rapid. A newly-launched web based company ChessKu.com was the sponsor. Stefanova was stopping over in Indonesia before she headed to China to take part in the World Mind Games.
Looking to the participant roster, the chess event promised to be exciting. Three veteran NMs, Maslan of Semarang, Salatun (Grobogan), and Masroni HS (Brebes), took part. Central Java’s NMs of the younger generation also plunged into the arena: Abdul Jalil (Semarang), Okky Irawan (Solo), and Achmad Yazid (Pemalang).
After taking a short break in 1982, Asian Chess Masters Circuit was back in 1983. The Jakarta leg was the second one. The first was held in Hong Kong. Indonesia registered a notable achievement in both legs. FM Ronny Gunawan won the first leg with Australian IM Ian Rogers. In the second leg it was IM Ardiansyah turn to go on top. Ardiansyah’s victory wasn’t unexpected. He was the first seed of the tournament.
The surprise winner of the event was Johny Suwuh of DKI Jakarta. He won ahead of more heralded players IM Ardiansyah, Arovah Bachtiar, and defending champion Jacobus Sampouw. Suwuh was not really a new face in the chess arena. He had been playing since 1960s but had never made a breakthrough until this event.
Chess has been contested in the 15th Asian Games at Doha, Qatar, December 2-14 2006. The tryouts were part of Indonesian team’s preparation for the event. They consisted of three matches involving three members of Indonesian team and three overseas players: Adianto vs Timman, Megaranto vs Torre, and Sukandar vs Krivec.
A chess-master-turned-successful-lawyer Lugito Hayadi (aka Lim Hong Gie) had a habit to be ‘the first’ of many things. He is among the first Indonesian NMs. He got the title at only 15 that practically made him the first Indonesian chess prodigy. ICCF (International Correspondence Chess Federation) awarded him an IM Correspondence title in 1965. He is the first Indonesian to get a title from ICCF.
