Cerdas secures Hamzah chess championship

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Cerdas Barus won the Rp 45 million (US$5,000) Hamzah Haz Cup chess tournament after beating Hamdani Rudin in the final at the Tanah Abang Chess Center here on Sunday.

Cerdas, an International Master (IM) title holder with an elo- rating of 2448, defeated Hamdani, a rated-2404 FIDE Master, 2.5- 1.5 to earn a Rp 6 million of cash prizes.

Hamdani, who said that his defeat had been brought about largely by his less experience than his opponent's, pocketed home one million rupiahs less than the winner.

IM Dede Liu took the third place after overcoming FM Awam Wahono in the play-off on the same score. Following behind were Benny Kileng, Andi Nurjabal, Cecep Kosasih and Hanny Marentek.

The eight were given berths in the final stage after emerging as the top two winners in their respective groups. The 2nd Hamzah Haz Cup, with the biggest cash prizes ever offered in a national tournament, drew a great number of players with 240, split in four groups.

Unlike the group matches, the final stage played rapid games, which allowed 25 minutes of thinking time with four games in each pairing.

Trailing 1-2 after three games were completed, Hamdani, who held White pieces, opted for an open and aggressive play, having in mind that only a win would have given him a lifeline.

The tactics backfired. Having his offensive liquidated, Hamdani began to look the side being pressurized. He had his defending pawns dismantled.

With an outright advantage both in position and materials, Cerdas should have been able to force for a win but Hamdani repeated his move in a signal that he offered a draw which Cerdas gave no second thought to accept.

"What I had in mind was that I should win to extend to the sudden death. But he was clever both at defending and at launching a counter attack at the right time," Hamdani, a 37 years old from Bandung, West Java, told The Jakarta Post.

"It's just experience that made us different. He has begun his international tournaments earlier than me," He excused. "I'm happy that I'm still able to return home with the second big amount of money," he said.