Grand Master Utut beats Irawanto in play-off

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Grand Master (GM) Utut Adiyanto managed to secure his way to the next round after beating FIDE Master (MF) Irawanto in a play-off match by 2.0-0.0 victory points at the Enerpac Masters Tournament in Bekasi.

Utut, Indonesia's chess player with the highest Elo rating of 2584, beat Irwanto in the 50th move of the Slavian defense. He followed in the steps of the Indonesian Olympic chess team's members who also beat their respective opponents, Antara news agency reported on Tuesday.

The successful team members were GM Edhi Handoko and MF Hamdani Rudin. Unfortunately for him, GM Ruben Gunawan was toppled by young National Master (MN) Susanto Megaranto, 13, by 1.5-0.5.

In the final moves, Susanto, the 1999 junior world champion for the 12-year age-group, possessed a knight while Ruben had a bishop with each having five pawns. Theoretically, Ruben had the advantage of playing white.

But Susanto managed to repeatedly threaten Ruben's bishop and queen with his knight while depleting his pawns. Ruben surrendered in the 47th move using the Slavian defense.

Susanto was the only remaining member of the youngsters' dream team. MN Taufik Halay, 13, bowed out 0.0-2.0 to MF Kasmiran and MP Tirta Chandra lost 0.5-1.5 to MF Hamdani Rudin. Another young chess player, Andrean Susilodinata, 10, was eliminated in the first round on Saturday.

In Tuesday's quarterfinals, Hamdani challenged Utut while Edhi was slated to meet GM Ardiansyah. International Master (MI) Danny Yuswanto met Kasmiran while Susanto challenged MI Dece Liu, the only female participant. (nvn)