Interview with IM Senador Emmanuel

Getting his 1st GM Norm in DATMO 2009, he is IM Senador Emmanuel. Yatzchess managed to invite him for a short interview.

Yatz: What happened in the last round.

Senador: We lost the last match, 2.5-1.5.

Yatz: So, what do you think of your performance

Senador: Worst, Worst ever (laugh). Lost 5 games.

Yatz: How many points you collected

Senador: I scored only 3.5. 3 wins and 1 draw.

Yatz: So what is the factor of your poor performance?

Senador: Erm, nothing. This is a team event, so when 1 looses, you will get slightly affected.

Yatz: So are you a full time chess player?

Senador: Yes, In philipine

Yatz: At what age you started playing chess?

Senador: Very late, I think it is around 12 years old.

Yatz: So when did you get your IM norm?

Senador: I think I got it as early as 2004. But they only allowed the IM tittle in 2011. I didn't compete in any major tournament, it just err...goes up.

Yatz: So how did you started playing chess?

Senador: I saw some guys playing in the barber shop. I got interested in it then. I then enter the National junior championship, luckily I lost (laugh). That was my 1st tournament.

Yatz: How many hours do you spent on your training?

Senador: I think 1 to 2 hours. Generally, just to get the latest games.

Yatz: What kind of exercises you focus more to?

Senador: I focus more on tactics and complicated positions.

Yatz: Is chess engine the most important tool in your training?

Senador: Not necessarily. It is really important for humans mind. Computers are for preparation against players and maybe to see the improvement of the position. In the end, you have to rely on yourselves. I like the 360 chess. You have to rely on your own. Maybe it is good to be original. 

Yatz: So you have been training on your own all these years?

Senador: Philippine is a poor country so you have to train it on your own.

Yatz: Is chess really popular in Philippine?

Senador: Yes because Mr.Pichai, when he became a president in 2005 I guess. He produced many GM's in Philippine. 

Yatz: So he is the factor of Philipine success in chess?

Senador: Yeah. Because of the funding of Mr.Pichai since he is on the government side. 

Yatz: What other sport you do other than chess?

Senador: Not many. Maybe just once in a while. I like to walk more.

Yatz: How do you prepare for yourself before a tournament?

Senador: I will review some opening and analyse my opponents games. I have to do physically conditioning also.

Yatz: Do you get nervous before a tournament?

Senador: Maybe maybe, if the competition is really tense. 

Yatz: How do you described your playing style?

Senador: Aggressive! I also like complicated games. Open position also because it is full with tactics.

Yatz: So how many time have you represent Philippine for the Olympiad?

Senador: I have represent Philippine for 3 times in the Olympiad.

Yatz: So will you be representing Philippine this year?

Senador: No. There is a selection but I didn't make it.

Yatz: How about Wesley so?

Senador: Yeah he is representing Philippine. 

Yatz: Which part of the world you travel the most?

Senador: ASIA countries

Yatz: So how many GM norm have you obtain?

Senador: Only 1. I get it here in 2009 at DATMO. I was leading but lost to Negi. But I still get my GM norm.


Yatz: Last question, what is your aim in chess.

Senador: To get my GM norm. Maybe I might get GM norm in blitz or rapid, maybe..


Thats all for now. I wished you best of luck in achieving your GM tittle. Thank you IM Senador for the interview.


*Special thanks to Andrew Ooi (a.k.a Gilachess) and Hadi for the photos.

• Stay tuned for the last interview with WIM Emma Guo from Australia
• Photos and report of the MERDEKA ASTRO Rapid event

An Interview with Irine Sukandar

A WGM at just age 17, Irine Sukandar is definitely one of the most promising chess player to emerge from Indonesia. In this interview, Irene will be talking about her training and her mission in chess.

Venue: Midvalley Cititel
Interview by: yatzchess

Yatz: First of all, congratulation for your win just now (Round 8). So, how do you think you performed in   this rapid event?

Irine: I think my rapid is not as good as my classical. Well, it does not mean my classical is that good but at least is better than my rapid. Well, I am playing this event just for fun and also to see how good I am in rapid.

Yatz: So are you satisfied with your performance?

Irine: Erm, in the individual event, few days before this team event, I was not playing so good. But in the 2nd half of the tournament, I overcome myself with a better performance. Yeah, I'm not so happy but I think I'm doing pretty good.

Yatz: So, are you currently a full time chess player?

Irine: No, I'm still studying in University.

Yatz: Which University?

Irine: gunadarma university back in Indonesia

Yatz: So, what are you studying?

Irine: Literature

Yatz: At what age you started playing chess?

Irine: I started playing chess at 7.

Yatz: Wow, that is really young. Who is the one that encouraged you to play chess?

Irine: My father. Well is not really encourage me. He is just trying to find me some activities in school and all stuff about school. He himself is a table tennis player. I was playing table tennis for a few months, but then I get bored (laugh). But then he introduce me to some sports like chess and table tennis. Well, eventually I chose chess.

Yatz: Is table tennis famous in Indonesia?

Irine: Not really. Maybe just like Malaysia. Badminton is more famous.

TRAINING

Yatz: How many hours do you spent on your chess training?

Irine: If my coach is here, we will train about 5 hours a day.

Yatz: I had a coach from Indonesia too and he said I have to practice at least 8 hours a day.

Irine: Well, If you are really professional then you have to spent as much time on chess because chess is really hard. I used to try for 8 hours during my holidays when my coach is here. Yeah but, during the classes and other things, 5 hours should be enough.

Yatz: During your chess training, what type of exercises you focus on? Opening? Tactics? End game?

Irine: All of them. Ok, in the opening, we cover a bit more than the others probably because there are a lot  of updates in the opening. I mean like in the middle game and endgame, they are stuck like that. But opening, is quite dynamic. Especially top grandmaster, they find some novels and things that we have to catch up.

Yatz: Do you regard chess engines as the most important tool in your training?

Irine: Err, in our training, we usually use our brains more. We will try as much to avoid computer. I mean, we want to crack it with our brains..not practising the chess engines brain, (laughs)..Yeah but it is pretty important, I mean after the game, when we have a some unclear position that you cannot solve, then you just use the computer to work it out.

Yatz: This might sound silly but do you prefer if chess engines didn't existed?

Irine: It is something we cannot avoid. I really like what it already is.

Yatz: To have a healthy mind, you must be physically fit to according too. So what sports you usually do?

Irine: I like running. I do some jogging sometime. Mostly I am more into table tennis again. Usually when I am at home, I will spent my time with my family. My father and brother likes table tennis so I play with them.

Yatz: How do you prepare yourselves before a tournament?

Irine: The preparation are more or less about opening.Because, like in middle game and endgame, we just have to understand. But in opening, we really have to memorize and understand. And also, our opponents character are different, that's why we need to explore more ideas in the openings.

Yatz: Do you usually get really nervous before a tournament?

Irine: Yeah it happens.

Yatz: I usually couldn't sleep the night before a tournament due to nervousness, have you experience it?

Irine: Well, it happens to me sometimes, not all the times. I mean is something normal for human right? But usually I don't get nervous because this is something I have done many times already.

Yatz: So do you consider yourselves a tactical player or more positional player?

Irine: Oh, when I was younger I used to be the more tactical one. All my coaches told me that "Irine, why you so tactical one? Can you just play a bit solid, look after your position." And I say "I just can't because that is my character." But now, I am slowly becoming a more positional player, I don't know because after sometime when you reach the tactical one, you found positional is more solid. It doesn't mean it limits my chance for me to play the tactical position. Whenever the tactical position arise, I will just play it. When it is not, it is better to learn positional ideas because it happens more often than the tactical one.

Yatz: I supposed experience helps in positional understanding.

Irine: Yeah.

Yatz: You have been travelling all around the world. So which country you generally visit the most to play chess?

Irine: Erm, Asian countries, I think China also. I'm now playing in the Chinese league, I will go back and forth like every 2 month.

Yatz: In Indonesia, is chess really popular. I mean are you like..ermm celebrities?

Irine: Oh come on (laugh)

Yatz: So it is something like Malaysia..

Irine: I think it is better, because we do have a lot of junior players. Chess is getting more popular in Indonesia compared like 10 years ago, where only old people play chess.

Yatz: So, which chess player inspire you the most?

Irine: Judit Polgar. She is already one of the top female player in the male category when she was very young and she still plays in the men section now. Yeah, I think all women chess players in the world are inspired by her too.

Yatz: Alright, this is the final question. What is your aim in chess now?

Irine: I want to get the highest achievement. But now I'm a WGM and I am running for my IM tittle. I already got my norm I guess, I just need to get my rating to 2400 to get my tittle. That is my main target for this year. I mean I have hanging in this 2300 for 4 years, it has been always up and down without breaking 2400. So it is abit, errr...yeah, it is pretty irritaing actually..yeah that is actually my target.

Yatz: Well, all the best on what you aim for. Once again, thank you Irine for this interview. =)

*Special thanks to Andrew Ooi (a.k.a gilachess) and Hadi for the photos.

• Stay tuned for exclusive interview from IM  Senador Emmanuel and WIM Guo Emma
• Photos during the MERDEKA team rapid event

Who Is Jonathan Augustine?

Who is Jonathan Augustine? This unfamiliar face from negeri sembilan has gone around tournament in Malaysia, beating top players including Kamaluddin Yusof, Jax Tham, "chess wonder boy" Yeap Eng Chiam, Abdul Haq and many more. Despite having SPM examination this year, his performance in chess has never slump. In fact, his national rating sky-rocketed to an incredible 1738 rating this year. I get to know him during MSSM last year and I can described him as a really friendly as well as down to earth person. This modest chess player has recently hit the lime light after beating 2009 National Junior master, Yeap Eng Chiam.

Fortunately, this Negeri Sembilan warrior was cooperative enough to agree to short interview with yatzchess. 

First and foremost, congratulation in your recent MSSM chess tournament. But were you satisfied with your result despite being one of the favourite to win the Under 18 boys category? 

(Note: J/Agustine finished 7th placing in MSSM)

Thank you. Was I satisfied? Not really. I was actually aiming for the top 3 placing.

So what happened? You played badly?

Actually playing badly wasn't the factor. The main reason is that I underestimated my opponent who are lower rated than me.

Oh I see.. OK, tell me more about yourselves. At what age you started playing chess?

I started playing chess when I was in standard 3. 

Who Influenced you to play chess?

My cousin brother who is 2 years older than me

So, Who is your present coach?

Currently, I am on my own. But I have to give credits to Mr.Lohanathan.

I heard Mr.Lohanathan do lots of charitable work in negeri sembilan to promote chess. 

Yes he is in fact doing lots of charity.

You are having your SPM this year. I am just wondering how do you managed your time in chess and studies.

Well, it is really easy. All I need is a good time table.

                                                    < J/AGUSTINE Rating chart>

Is unbelievable the progress you have achieved this year. Which tournament do you regard as your career breakthrough in chess?

Definitely the 1st edition of Insofar and National Age Group 2012. 

What is your greatest achievement in chess so far?

Beating Yeap Eng Chiam I must say.

And why is it?

It is just that I managed to beat a really strong national player.

How would you describe your playing style?

I would say, I am more into counter attack. I prefer positional play.

Who is considered as your greatest rival?

I would say it is Wong Jian Wen (pic below) for the time being.

Besides chess, what other sport you play?

Let see...I like football, marathon, running and carom.

Football!? So, I guess you are following the ongoing Euro 2012...

Yeah, but only the highlights. That is because I have school in the morning. Haizz.....

Which team are you rooting for?

Spain

So I guess your favourite player must be...Torres?

Bingo!

OK final question, what is your next target in chess?

My next goal is to win the national Closed and become the next NM.

That is all for now, thank you for the interview and good luck in your SPM examination. 

Good Night