Error saves Utut after unnecessary sacrifice

Error saves Utut after unnecessary sacrifice

JAKARTA (JP): A pair of blunders were the highlights yesterday
as Indonesia's number one chess wizard Utut Adianto was lucky to
escape with a draw at the Biel Masters tournament in Switzerland
Thursday.

Utut, the first Indonesian to join the world's elite group of
Super Grand Masters, produced a late comeback to force an
unlikely draw with Alexander Mikhaelevsky of Israel in their
fourth-round game after making an early blunder.

Taking advantage of playing white, Utut developed his d4
opening into an attacking formation. Mikhaelevsky responded with
a Tartakower defense.

The relentless offense took a knock, however, when Utut made
an inadvertent sacrifice of a pawn on the 15th move. The Israeli
player quickly seized the initiative and turned up the heat on
Utut.

"I should have won the game, or at least had a great
opportunity to win, if only I had not sacrificed the pawn," a
dejected Utut, winner here in 1994, said after the marathon match
which lasted five hours 48 minutes.

Both players entered Thursday's game with three wins each.

However a Mikhaelevsky mistake on the 34th move saved Utut's
blushes. Neither player was able to take the upper hand
thereafter and they agreed to a draw after 57 moves.

The draw kept them on top of the provisional standings, along
with Milos Pavlovic of Yugoslavia, with 3.5 points each. Pavlovic
beat Ukrainian Grand Master Vladimir Tukmakov in the day's
another match.

Other results included two draws, by Pikula of Croatia who
played Portisch of Hungary and Cherniaev of Russia who faced
Kallai of Hungary, and two victories, by host player Kaenel over
compatriot Milov, and Zurab Sturua of Georgia over fellow
countryman Guerieli.

Utut plays Sturua in the fifth round. (lnt)