Utut regains hope after third-round draw<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian grandmaster Utut Adianto regained his
\nself-confidence as his third-round chess duel against Briton
\nNigel Short yesterday ended with a draw at the 41st move.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian number one, who had been beaten two straight,
\nplayed as a strategist rather than an aggressor yesterday.<\/p>\n
He fortified his defense heavily and attacked only when he was
\ncompletely sure the odds favored him.<\/p>\n
The impatience of forcing a win he showed during the second-
\nround on Friday taught him a lesson. What's more, yesterday's
\nopening was a carbon copy of the first round. Short started with
\nhis favorite e4, and Utut replied with the Caro-Kann defense,
\nwhich Short turned it into an advanced variant.<\/p>\n
At the fifth move, world number 14 Short started to draw his
\nsword. He sprang a surprise with an unusual move by placing his
\na2 pawn to a3. It took Utut quite a long time to tame the
\nmalicious effects of this detour.<\/p>\n
Short, taking full advantage of playing white, went on with
\nhis crescendo of attacks.<\/p>\n
\"Utut was particularly pressed hard since then,\" chess analyst
\nKristianus Liem commented.<\/p>\n
Roy Pitono, an international judge who refereed the match,
\nsaid that Utut gained the upper-hand after Short blundered by
\nlocating his bishop from c1 to b2 in the 28th move.<\/p>\n
\"He should have moved his knight from b1 to d2 first before
\nmaking that move. And thereafter he should have moved his bishop
\nto h6,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
But Utut answered Short's mistake with another mistake
\nin the 29th move. Utut moved his queen from d8 to b6 without
\nmaking a halt at c7. \"It was an immature move,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
\"Utut could have won if he had not made the mistake,\" Short
\nagreed.<\/p>\n
Utut said he was \"suffering body and soul\", because after the
\nunnecessary mistake he found that all his pawns in the back 6, 7
\nand 8 rows blocked the mobility of his queen, rooks and knights.<\/p>\n
\"Utut managed only to defend strongly after blundering. A
\nsmall slip would have been enough to render him his third
\ndefeat,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Utut had formed a very solid defense from the
\nstart. Thus, even though Short was at large with his blood-
\nthirsty sword, it was difficult for him to find easy prey.<\/p>\n
Knowing he didn't have the slightest chance of winning, Utut
\nforced a great exchange in the 36th move which cost both parties
\nall their knights and rooks.<\/p>\n
With just a queen and six pawns left on each side, the two
\nagreed that a draw would be a graceful solution. (arf)<\/p>",
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