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)