Blunder leads Utut to second defeat

Blunder leads Utut to second defeat

JAKARTA (JP): A blunder cost Indonesia's Utut Adianto a golden
chance to climb to the top place in the Biel Master Invitation
chess tournament in Switzerland on Thursday.

Playing black pieces against British grand master Julian
Hodgson, an over confident Utut forced an attacking game with his
Caro-Kann defense only to crash his second defeat after 42 moves
in the 11th round game.

The aggressive stance went wrong when Utut risked scarifying
his two attacking pawns in the 17th move. The Indonesian had
earlier offered a major exchange for his other two pawns, but
Hodgson refused.

Hodgson managed to capitalized on Utut's shaky defense
following the forceful sacrifice. Mounting pressure wore out
Utut's stubborn defense and the Indonesian had no choice but to
resign.

The loss, the second for 30-year-old Utut in the US$40,000
tournament, kept the Indonesian in the second place equal with
Latvian world number seven Alexei Shirov and Belarusian world
number eight Boris Gelfand. They all have collected 6.5 points.

Russian Alexei Dreev managed only another draw against
spirited home favorite L. Brunner, but maintained the leadership
with 7.5 points.

"I'm so sorry to all my fans. I should have not done such a
foolish thing. But it will not frustrate me," Utut said in a fax
sent by compatriot Sebastian Simanjuntak to the Indonesian media.

"Lady Luck refused to smile on him. He needs to keep his cool
in the next two matches," Utut's manager Eka Putra Wirya said.

Utut has set up a possible hard-fought battle against Shirov
in the penultimate round of the 14-field tournament. Shirov
accepted a draw with Argentinean Daniel Campora in a short game
lasting just 12 moves on Thursday.

The Indonesian must win his two last matches to clinch the
annual tournament. (amd)

Results
Brunner 0.5 Dreev 0.5
Shirov 0.5 Campora 0.5
Milov 0.5 Gavrikov 0.5
De Firmian 0.5 Zvjaginsev 0.5
Tkachiev 0.5 Gelfand 0.5
Kindermann 1 Timman 0
Hodgson 1 Utut 0