Suryo Hopes RI to Have New Chess Grand Master

Jakarta (Antara) - Youth and Sports Minister Roy Suryo has expressed hope that WIM Medina Warda Aulia, WIM Chelsie Monica Sihite and WFM Dewi AA Citra could grab a Grand Master title due to a minimum number of younger players with the title. "I hope the three women's chess players could become Grand Master players. But men's players must not also be left behind," Roy said here on Saturday. The Indonesia Chess Association (PB Percasi) has expressed hope that the three women players could grab a Grand Master tittle. Both Woman International Masters (WIM) Aulia and WIM Sihite almost achieved it but but due to a lack of norms required for it they had failed. Meanwhile, Woman Fide Master (WFM) Citra's performance has even dropped. Roy said the country is still short of Grand Master chess players. In view of that all athletes and stakeholders should take extra efforts to increase their number immediately. "Indonesia still lacks grand master chess players," he said. "Younger players should also be able to become grandmasters," he added. Indonesia has only one Grand Master chess player, which is the 21-year-old Irene Kharisma Sukandar. Sukandar obtained the Woman Grand Master title five years ago. (*)