Chapter 58: Anna on the Newspaper?!
Sheva felt the corner of his mouth twitching once again as the newspaper hit his face. While it was not a napkin, this was the second time someone had hit his face like this, and honestly, he started to get annoyed. He could also hear his mom stiffen her giggle behind him, definitely thinking about how she had thrown the napkin earlier. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any way to retaliate right now, so the boy had no choice but to get into the page that his best friend told him about with a sulking face.
"Um?!" Sheva shook his head quickly when he realized what was there. "Anna is in the news?!" He turned his head and stared at Bagas questioningly. His mother also leaned forward, peering curiously at what they were discussing. There, she saw a short section with only three paragraphs about Anna’s achievement in Vietnam.
Young Prodigy: Anna Marisa Breaks Record with WGM Title and Eyes World Championship
In a remarkable display of talent and determination, 15-year-old Anna Marisa has made headlines by earning the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title, setting a new milestone in Indonesian chess history. Achieving this prestigious title at such a young age, Anna surpassed the previous record held by legendary player Irene Kharisma Sukandar by an impressive 467 days. Her accomplishment was secured during the Hanoi GM Chess Tournament in Vietnam, where her impressive performance not only earned her the title but also marked her as the youngest Indonesian player to reach this level of mastery in the game. This achievement has sparked excitement and pride across the Indonesian chess community, heralding a new era of young talent.
Anna’s journey to the WGM title was marked by outstanding results, as she scored an impressive 7 points out of 9 rounds in the tournament. This score far exceeded the minimum requirement of 5.5 points needed to qualify for the title, demonstrating her exceptional skill and consistency. Her performance has also had a significant impact on her rating, which has now surpassed the 2300 mark once again, placing her as the third-highest-rated female player in Indonesia. Behind Irene Kharisma Sukandar (2378) and Aulia Medina Warda (2366), Anna’s rising rating underscores her rapidly growing prominence in the Indonesian chess scene and hints at a promising future ahead.
In a brief interview with the ’Black Rook’ Channel on YouTube, Anna expressed her confidence and ambitious goals for the future. She stated her determination to become the first Indonesian woman to hold the title of World Chess Champion, a dream she is actively pursuing through rigorous training and continued dedication. Her outspoken ambition and impressive achievements at such a young age have inspired many aspiring young players in Indonesia and beyond. With her talent and drive, Anna Marisa is undoubtedly a rising star, and the chess world will be watching eagerly as she continues to make her mark on the international stage.
"Wait a second," Sheva’s mother suddenly narrowed her eyes dangerously, making the two boys step back in fear. "How could she be there and have a whole section for her while your achievement is not even mentioned? She only got second place in her section, right?" She asked.
"Urgh..." Both Sheva and Bagas were speechless. "Wait, how do you know about that, Mom? I thought you were not interested in chess?" The former asked, trying to divert the topic.
"Of course, I learned it!" His mom scoffed while stating as a matter of fact. "I might not have any interest in it, but there is no way I would send my son into the field that I know nothing about! Also, don’t change the topic! Why are you not here? What newspaper is this? Should I ask one where your father worked? I am sure they would do me a favor for this!"
Sheva felt the corner of his mouth twitching once again, not knowing how to answer this. While he was touched by his mom’s gesture to learn what he was interested in, Sheva really didn’t need her to go crazy like that. He could imagine her barging into his deceased father’s old office and demanding that everyone put a small section special to report his result... Well... You know what? No, he didn’t want to imagine it. The mere thought of it was enough to send a shiver down his spine.
"No, mom, you don’t need to do that. It is just a section for small fries, not yet worth mentioning!" He said it quickly, wanting to diminish the idea as quickly as possible. "Anyway, I won’t bother you anymore! I have something to do with Bagas! Sorry, Mom! I go first!" He dragged his best friend as quickly as possible, leaving his mother, who was shouting from afar.
"You sure it is okay to leave Aunty like that?" Bagas asked in amusement once they both sat on his motorcycle. "She would be nagging you more later, you know that, right?"
Sheva glared at his traitorous friend, who enjoyed his misery before sighing. "Let’s just hope that her mind will be calmer after this." Said the boy. "Anyway, what was the deal with the newspaper before? I mean, I know her feat is amazing and she deserves to be in the newspaper, but you are not the type who would wait for me outside just to deliver this kind of news, right?" He asked, knowing his best friend really well.
Bagas didn’t answer the question immediately, staying quiet while driving the motorcycle through the crowded road of Jakarta. After a while, the boy finally asked, "You have always been concerned about your future as a chess player, right? Thinking that you wouldn’t be able to earn that much money unless you are one kind of super grandmaster or something like that?"
Sheva frowned, not knowing where this conversation would go. "I mean... Yeah, to earn money, I have to play in a lot of tournaments, and to do that, money is needed to accommodate my travel and a lot of other trivial things. It is like a vicious cycle, you know?" He shrugged helplessly.
"Well, good news for you. After the news came out, DKI Jakarta’s Governor, Anis Baswedan, promised that she would visit her with a reward from the government. I heard that it would be a brand new car for her family and a scholarship with the amount of money about 100,000,000 Rupiah for her." Bagas delivered the bomb with a straight face.
Sheva was stunned for a moment, not knowing whether Bagas was serious or not. 100,000,000 Rupiah... That was about 10,000 US Dollars, and in Indonesia, that amount of money could be used to feed the entire generation. That number was definitely a God’s gift for a lot of families, and that also included his. Hell, it could elevate his family from poor to the middle-class one. Unfortunately, he sat on the back seat and couldn’t see Bagas’s expression clearly, so Sheva didn’t really know what his best friend was thinking currently.
"What I want to say here is..." The fat boy finally spoke again. "While it is true that she deserves this reward, half of it is because of a good publication. The narration of her being the youngest WGM in our country and her ambition to become the first women’s world champion from Indonesia moved a lot of people, forcing the officials to acknowledge her and give the girl their best support. It might still be a long way for you to reach that height, but once you are standing tall enough, I will start doing the same for you, making your name famous enough that the government and sponsorship will come to you. Now, the question is, are you ready to be in the spotlight?"