Every time we advance the first pawn on the 64 black-and-white squares, we are continuing a strategic tradition that is thousands of years old. However, do you know how “Opening” ( Opening ) the history of organized chess in the archipelago began? Long before the All Indonesian Chess Association (PERCASI) was founded, there was an organization that paved the way, organized ranks and promoted this cerebral sport during the Dutch East Indies. The organization is named NIB.

Dirk Bleykmans

Let’s reveal 11 interesting facts about NISB, the Official Chess Organization of the Dutch East Indies Era!

1. What is NISB? Organized Chess Opening Moves

NIB is an abbreviation of Netherlands Indian Chess Federation (Dutch Indies Chess Association). This was the first chess association or federation that was officially founded in Indonesia in April 1915 in Yogyakarta. Before the NISB, European and indigenous chess players played sporadically without ratings or nationally recognized tournaments. NISB exists as an official forum that consolidates all the scattered chess pieces into one structured team. NISB is what will later become the forerunner to the establishment of PERCASI in the future.

2. Purpose of Establishing NISB: Big Vision on Board

Like a Grandmaster concocting a long-term attack strategy, NISB was founded with very clear goals: to unite chess clubs and chess fans spread across various island regions, to promote the game of chess to make it more grounded, and to hold a national level championship to legally measure the strength of Dutch East Indies chess players. They want to create a climate of healthy and regular competition for chess players.

3. Figures of the “Grandmaster” Founders of NISB

The establishment of this giant organization cannot be separated from the agile movements of “Ministers” and “Horses” from its pioneers. The idea of ​​unification was driven by chess enthusiasts from Central Java and West Java. The central figures who gave birth to NISB include C. van der Vecht, DJW Hagemann, JG Geiger, LG Eggink, J. Gouwentak, and LH Pluim Mentz who was later appointed as the first President (General Chair) of NISB. Other figures such as Dirk Bleykmans—a strong Dutch chess player—also play a crucial role as the driving force of the competition.

4. NISB Member Chess Club: Fortresses

In its heyday, NISB included various chess clubs ( Chess club ) elite in the Dutch East Indies. These clubs are like a solid fortress:

• Surabaya Chess Club (SSC) in Surabaya (the oldest and largest club founded in 1896).
• Batavia chess club (Jakarta).
• Bandung Chess Club (Bandung).
• Semarang Chess and Chess Association (Semarang).
• Djokja chess club (Yogyakarta).
• Magelang chess club, Solo, SalatigaAnd Poor.
• In fact, its influence spread outside Java, with clubs joining from Bandjermassin (Kalimantan) and Palembang (Sumatra), as well as military clubs such as DOS in Magelang and native clubs/schools such as Osvia.

5. NISB Aggressive Activities: Turning on Caissa

NISB activities are very comprehensive, not just gathering. Their tactics include:

• Publishing a prestigious monthly chess magazine called Netherlands-India Chess Federation Magazinewhich examines party analysis, opening theory, and chess problems (this chess problem is managed specifically by H. Meyer).
• Organized “Great National Competition” (National Chess Championship/Chess Congress) regularly every year.
• Organizing correspondence chess matches (via post) which allows chess players in remote areas of the archipelago to still be able to cross-match.
• Facilitate inter-club matches Mass fight ) and simulations with world masters.

6. The “Kings” from the Dutch and Non-Natives

During the NISB era, the arena was dominated by European and non-Native officers, doctors and elites. Big names who often dominate the top table include:

• Netherlands/Europe: D. Bleykmans (a much feared champion and often considered the “Absolute King” of early Dutch East Indies chess), Jonas Safier (known as a “walking encyclopedia” of chess theory), LG Eggink, J. Gouwentak, Dr. A. Deutman, Dr. MF Drognat Doeve, and JG Baay.
• Chinese & Arabic: Oei Kang Ing, Liem Tjoe Bo, Oei Khee San, Hadji Amin, Hadji Mohamed Arsad, and Ali Baswedan are tough players who often win prizes in local and national club matches in Surabaya and other regions.

7. Mat Threat from Native Chess Players (Batak, Javanese, etc.)

Native pieces cannot be underestimated. With deadly natural tactics, several names emerged as frightening specters for Europeans:

• Narsar Karo-Karo (Batak): He is a great legend! His prowess in subduing Dutch masters made him nicknamed by the Dutch media as “Bataksche Capablanca” And “East Coast Tarrasch”. Apart from Narsar, there are Si Toemboek and Si Ngoekoem, and other strong chess players from the land of Karo.
• Sudiro (Java): A movement figure who since elementary school at HIS Neutral studied chess diligently. He heroically defeated the Dutch World Chess Champion, Max Euwe, in a simultaneous match. Apart from Sudiro, there are his classmates, timetablewho succeeded in holding the Euwe mussels.
• Other strong chess players: You can handle it (doctor from Ambon who works in Lawang Malang, whose game is very strong), AngelAnd Latif Panei who often participates in National Championships.

8. Grand Tournaments of the NISB Era

The most prestigious tournament is “Great National Competition”annual national championship that competes for the highest caste ( Premier League ) and divided into various classes up to beginners. The championship rotates from city to city. It is recorded that this major tournament was held in Garoet (1916), Semarang (1917), Soerabaia (1918), Batavia (1919), Bandoeng (1920), to Djokjakarta (1924) and continued brilliantly until it was stopped by world war.

9. Simultaneous Attacks from World Class Grandmasters

The Dutch East Indies are sexy enough to be on the world chess radar. Several elite Masters and Grandmasters have conducted simultaneous exhibition tours and training clinic to various cities:

• Boris Kostić (1925): This grandmaster from Serbia came to Indonesia and held a match. One of the most unique duels was his visit to Medan, dealing directly with the genius of Batak chess players (including Si Narsar), as well as visiting cities in Java such as Salatiga.
• Max Euwe (1930): The Dutch legend who would later become World Champion visited Magelang on September 22 1930. He played a simultaneous match against 42 local chess players. Ironically, the fatigue factor on the trip made him have to recognize the greatness of a local young man named Sudiro.
• Alexander Alekhine (1933): The iconic World Champion stopped by the Dutch East Indies at the official invitation of NISB. Alekhine held an extraordinary simultaneous match tour in a number of cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Cepu, Sukabumi, Yogyakarta, and Palembang.

10. NISB Final Round and Promotion to PERCASI

NISB’s success faced a dark period when the Second World War broke out and the Japanese occupation entered (1942). All chess activities stopped and froze. After the Proclamation of Independence in 1945, amidst the fire of physical revolution, the passion for chess revived on the island of Java.

The transition occurred when native chess players held a club match between Percaso (Solo Chess Association) and Percam (Mataram Chess Association) at the Surakarta Residency hall. This match is authorized directly by Sudiro (who at that time served as Resident of Surakarta). During that match, the Chairman of Percam, Dr. Suwito Mangkusuwondoproposed the need for a national chess forum for this newly independent country. As a result, in 1948 it was formed TRUST (Persatoean Tjatoer Seloeroeh Indonesia). This organization was only formally inaugurated in 17 August 1950 in Yogyakarta with the name we know now, PERCATIONand Dr. Suwito Mangkusuwondo served as its first General Chair. PERCASI is what later brought Indonesia to join the world chess body (FIDE) in 1953.

11. Post-Mortem: Valuable Lessons from NISB

From the historical matches played by NISB, there are many lessons positional what we can take away:

1. Chess is a Universal Language: On the chess table, races, social strata, and backgrounds collapsed. Europeans, Arabs, Chinese, and Natives united, respected each other, and learned from each other.
2. Organization and Literacy are Key: NISB is strong because it has a neat structure, funding from clear member fees, and a magazine (Tijdschrift) that continues to record party notations and new theories. Good archives make chess grow methodically.
3. Archipelago’s Hidden Talents: History records that the intelligence of local chess players (such as Si Narsar, Si Tumbok, Si Ngoekoem and Sudiro) was able to overthrow the dominance of elites and World Champions. This proves that Indonesian chess DNA has always been very strong.

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Reference:

-1915 – 1925 – RELATIVE

-1896-1936 ANNIVERSARY EDITION – SURABAYASCHE CHESS CLUB

Hopefully this short summary can increase our insight into how rich the history of chess is in our homeland. Continue to hone your tactics, never be afraid to play offensively for a beautiful mat, and learn to be patient so that your opponent is careless and makes blunders and We Are One Nation (We are one family)!

Hedar.