Medina and Andrean Susilo won Singapore 2011

As a small and emerging chess culture, Singapore is equipped well with their chess education and chess educator. It is only the matter of public interest that chess is yet to pick their best result as competitive sport in region. With international trainer with super GM title from Georgia, China, Phillipine etc, Singapore is establishing great chess education infrastructure in the city.

The Singapore Chess Festival held in the end of year 2011 is a great practise ground for locals. The result on top events still favour strong invited GM, but the point to have their local talent trained was achieved. In the 2nd Asean, GM Cao Sang claimed the first prize, closely followed by Indonesian GM Megaranto Susanto. The 2nd Asean Women, smoothly won by Medina Aulia, ahead of her Indonesian mates Chelsie Sihite Monica and others. In the lower section, FM Andrean Susilo, also Indonesian player, claimed the first position in 8th Singapore Open. Complete English language report can be view in Singapore Chess News website.

Di penghujung tahun 2011, tim catur berisi atlet-atlet nasional berangkat dan tour ke Singapore untuk mengikuti festival catur di tempat. Singapore walaupun sebuah negara dengan daerah geografis paling micro ini mempunyai infra struktur pendidikan catur yang baik. Penulis pernah bermain dan mengamati perkembangan catur mereka dan sistem pendidikannya sangat terstruktur. Sayangnya kultur catur memang tidak terlalu populer di kalangan pelajar muda yang lebih memilih eks skul berpotensial lainnya, kalo tidak Singapore sudah menjadi saingan baru di kancah percaturan ASEAN. Bayangkan mereka mempunyai Akademi catur dengan trainer bergelar GM dari Georgia dan China. Dan banyak lagi GM dari Phillipine dan Myanmar yang memilih ber imigrasi ke kota/negara ini.

Hasil touring pecatur Indonesia di Singapore akhir Desember 2011 adalah, 8th Singapore Open dimenangkan FM Andrean Susilo, 2nd Asean Women dimenangkan Medina Aulia Wardana sedangkan 2nd Asean dimenangkan pecatur China GM Cao Sang tetapi GM Megaranto Susanto tetap memetik hasil dengan menduduki juara ke-dua.