Medina is Indonesia’s latest grandmaster
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sports | Wed, September 25 2013, 9:44 AM
The Indonesian chess community’s dream of having a second women’s grandmaster (WGM) has materialized after WIM (women’s international master) Medina Warda Aulia defeated FM (FIDE master) Lanita Stetsko of Belarus at the World Junior Chess Championship in Kocaeli, Turkey, on Monday.
The total score of seven points from 10 of 13 rounds earned Medina her third WGM norm after she recorded her first and second norms in Singapore in 2011 and Russia in 2012.
A chess player has to book a set of three WGM norms for a full WGM title, as required by the international chess authority FIDE.
“She has played opponents with a ratings average of 2266. On the Direct Titles table issued by FIDE on July 1, a player scoring seven points is entitled to WGM norm if their opponents have a rating average between 2251 and 2289,” team manager Kristianus Liem said in a press release on Tuesday.
“Medina has met the other requirements that at least four opponents hold a WGM title, six are titled and eight are rated,” he said.
Kristianus said that Medina would also augment her rating by 24 points next month from her current rating of 2301.
Stetsko was the sixth player Medina defeated in the tournament. The five others were Ani Krumova, Ivana Maria Furtado, Maria Bezgodova, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Alina Kashlinskaya.
She lost to Irina Bulmaga and Rout Padminia while her two draws came against Wang Jue and Sabina Ibrahimova.
Monday’s win came on the back of two consecutive losses and a draw.
In the game Medina was typically aggressive despite playing black.
She was two pawns ahead early with control of the game. She needed only 23 moves to force Stetsko to concede after her opponent failed to make amends for the loss of a piece.
Medina is now ranked fifth on the provisional standings, along with three other players.
Bulmaga leads with eight points followed by Deysi Cori T and Goryachkina, each with 7.5 points.
Medina’s win, however, failed to inspire her three teammates.
WIM Chelsie Monica Sihite lost to WIM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat of Iran in the girls’ division while Muhammad Luthfi Ali and Farid Firman Syah in the boys’ division bowed to IM Marcel Kanarek of Poland and Javier Benitez Lozano of Mexico respectively.
Medina becomes Indonesia’s youngest player to attain a WGM title. She has done so at the age of 16 years, two months and 16 days.
Irene Kharisma Sukandar, the only other active Indonesian WGM player achieved the title at the age of 16 years, seven months and 18 days at the Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, in 2008
Medina’s achievement was applauded with enthusiasm back home.
“Praise be to God. Congratulations!” GM Utut Adianto, the country’s chess icon since turned lawmaker, said.
Hashim S. Djojohadikusumo, chairman of the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) promised to hold a thanksgiving ceremony.
Eka Putra Wirya, a member of Percasi’s advisory board, said the association and chess lovers deserved to be congratulated on Medina’s achievement.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
Nice job.