020 You may have first heard of WGM Irene Sukandar in 2021, when her popularity soared after defeating Dewa Kipas, a man who infamously cheated in an online game against IM Levy Rozman.

But, in this interview, we discuss what I believe Irene should be what be most well-known for:

1) Growing the fame and respect of chess in her home country of Indonesia, and 

2) Being an inspiration to chess players throughout the world who wish to make chess a major part of their lives.

Irene is a professional player who is a 2-time Asian Woman’s Chess Champion and has been one of Indonesia’s top players for many years.

In addition to discussing her incredible rise as one of the most talented players in her country…

 We also discuss:

• Her efforts and passion to grow the game in Indonesia (which could be a model for other countries.)
• How to manage your nerves before an OTB tournament.
• Hitting “reset” during a tournament if you’ve lost several games.
• How long after the tournament should you resume studying chess?

More From Irene: 

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Website

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