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Huge talent pool clashes with limited funding in Indonesian chess
Percasi achievement and development head Kristianus Liem said he was not worried that the country would run out of talented chess players. However, he noted that Indonesia’s chess development was progressing slowly compared to countries like China and India in terms of funding for international tournaments.
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Syahsyah Syakish Thirof (JP/Ramadani Saputra)
C
hess Grandmaster (GM) Utut Adianto had nothing but praise for the younger generation of chess players set to compete in the fourth Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok on Aug. 1 to 10.
“They have cute faces, but when they sit in front of the chess board, they can turn fierce,” Utut told a press conference to unveil the country’s squad for the event.
Eight-year-old Syahsyah Syakish Thirof, who is one of the youngest members of the team, said with confidence that he was motivated to win.
“I want to be the number one,” he said.
Syahsyah is a reminder of the country’s deep talent pool for competitive chess. Like many great chess players before him, Syahsyah was introduced to the game by his father.
“Actually, my brother was the one who was taught by my father to play chess. When it was time for my brother [to practice], he chose to play [video] games instead, so I took his play in playing [chess],” he told on the sidelines of the press conference.
When asked why he liked the game, the elementary-school student replied without hesitation that it was because not everyone could play chess.
