Local chess star ready for world championships

Local chess star ready for world championships

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Grandmaster Utut Adianto is refusing
to predict how well he will do in the world chess championships
in Groningen, the Netherlands, from Dec. 8 to Dec. 28 and only
said he was fully prepared for the event.

"I don't want to say anything yet on whether I can win any
matches at the world chess championships. I only want to say that
I am ready," Utut said yesterday.

Utut, making his debut in the championships, is one of the
representatives of East Asia and the Asia-Pacific zone.

The competition will feature 100 of the world's best players.
The winner will challenge world champion GM Anatoly Karpov of
Russia.

Utut left for the Netherlands last night, accompanied by Eka
Putra Wirya, a top official of the Indonesian Chess Association.
Eka is also the director of the Enerpac chess school.

Utut, who has an elo rating of 2,610, will meet GM Wang Zili
of China in the first round. Zili has an elo rating of 2,520.

In the second round, Utut would then face GM Peter Svidlier of
Russia who has an elo rating of 2,640.

Referring to his target at the championships, Utut said he
hopes to reach the finals.

"Since it is a knockdown system, we have to play carefully. If
we lose any matches, we are automatically out. I hope I can at
least get as far as the final round," Utut said.

Utut has prepared for the world championships since Nov. 3 by
conducting a series of training sessions with GM Eugene Torre of
the Philippines in Cisarua, West Java.

He has also played against Karpov in the Clash of the Titans.
Although he lost 3.5-5.5 to the Russian maestro. Utut said this
inspired him to do better in the coming championships.

"I learned a lot from Karpov in the duel match. I will try to
apply Karpov's techniques against the top players," Utut said.

Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tandjung, who is also the
association's chairman, encouraging Utut to do his best at the
championships.

"I hope that Utut will succeed and of course get to the final
round. If he succeeds, we in Percasi (the Indonesian acronym for
the association) will honor him with respect," Akbar said.

At the same press conference, Akbar inaugurated the Bali Jeff
Center at the Bank Aspac building on Jl. Rasuna Said, South
Jakarta.

He also officially bade farewell to four young players, Taufik
Hallay, Susanto Megaranto, Evie Lindiawati and Bagas Prama
Ananta, who are taking part in the world junior championships in
Cannes, France, from Dec. 8 to Dec. 18.

Kristianus Liem, the association's spokesman, will accompany
the young players. They are scheduled to leave for Cannes today.

The minister hoped this center could create talented chess
players. "I hope there will be players with Utut's caliber. I am
certain this can be achieved through this center."

Jeffrie Geovanie, the center's director, said the center would
provide all the necessary facilities for chess enthusiasts.

"We will provide a library, computers and trainers for the
members," Jeffrie said.

Jeffrie added that the customers would be charged an annual
membership fee of Rp 5 million (US$1,300).

"They are free to play at the center. We will give them all
the necessary training and hope they can become good players,"
Jeffrie said.

Jeffrie said that the center would open in January next year.
"In the meantime, we are concentrating on publicizing the
center," he added, declining to say how many members he was
hoping to attract. (lnt)