GM Utut Adianto ready for World Chess Championships<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Grand Master Utut Adianto said on
\nThursday he was ready to compete in the World Chess Championships
\nat Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 31 to Aug. 29.<\/p>\n
\"I am both mentally and physically fit for the tournament and
\nI have prepared well for it,\" Utut said.<\/p>\n
Utut said he would depart for the championships on July 25 and
\nupon his arrival in the United States he would discuss strategies
\nwith playing partner GM Eugene Torre of the Philippines. Both
\nUtut and Torre have known each other for some time and have met
\nin a number of tournaments.<\/p>\n
\"I consider Torre as not only my playing partner, but someone
\nwith whom I can discuss moves to be used in tournaments,
\nespecially the world championships,\" Utut said.<\/p>\n
Utut, who has an elo rating of 2,607, was among two Asian
\nplayers selected for the world championships. The other is
\nAntonio Rogellio of the Philippines.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government also named Utut a tourism
\nambassador, particularly in sports.<\/p>\n
In the world championships, Utut's first opponent will be
\nInternational Master Daniel Fridman of Latvia. If he defeats
\nFridman, Utut will next face Grand Master Nigel Short of England.
\nUtut has never competed against Fridman.<\/p>\n
\"Although Fridman is 10 years younger than me, I don't want to
\ntake him lightly. Fridman has a good reputation. He was runner-up
\nin the European Championships, which was participated in by
\nRussia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania,\" Utut said.<\/p>\n
Short, with an elo rating of 2,689, is ranked 12th in the
\nworld. He was a semifinalist at the 1997 world championships in
\nGroningen, the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Utut has met Short 11 times, compiling a record of four losses
\nand seven draws.<\/p>\n
\"Of course it is difficult to beat Short, but I am aiming to
\nbeat him,\" Utut said.<\/p>\n
If Utut defeats Short, he will meet Grand Master Alexander
\nBelyavsky of Slovenia, who has an elo rating of 2,618. \"Compared
\nto Short, Belyavsky is easier to beat,\" Utut said.<\/p>\n
The world championships will offer a total cash prize of US$3
\nmillion. A player who makes the second round will receive
\n$12,000, while those who are eliminated in the first round get
\n$6,000.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Chess Federation chairman Bambang Rachmadi said the
\nfederation had not set a particular target for Utut in the
\ntournament.<\/p>\n
\"We only hope that Utut will try his best. We don't want to
\nset any target for him.\" (lnt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gm-utut-adianto-ready-for-world-chess-championships-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}