Seirawan buries Utut's ambition

JAKARTA (JP): American grand master Yasser Seirawan outwitted Indonesia's number one grand master Utut Adianto's at the 47th move in their fourth and final round duel here yesterday.

Thus, with his second and last victory in their four-day match sanctioned by the world chess body (FIDE), the Damascus-born American nailed a 3-1 victory, picked up US$3,000 cash prize and increased his elo rating of 2,605 by five points.

The victory, to which Seirawan finally proceeded after rejecting Utut's offer to draw at the 27th move, reduced Utut's elo rating of 2,590 by five points and thwarted his efforts to become the first Indonesian grand master to reach 2,600.

Seirawan attributed his success to his extensive experience -- he was the world's number nine in 1986 -- and his versatility to manipulate Utut, well known for his attack-minded, complicated playing style, into Seirawan's quiet, more favored style of play.

"I believe I reached victory because I played with the position I like, " said Seirawan, who printed out from his database about 250 games Utut played with other grand masters and studied them blindfolded during his flight from Seattle to Jakarta.

The 1991 U.S. champion, who moved first with his c4, successfully barred Utut's attempt to turn it into the fierce, lustful Queen's Gambit Accepted opening and tactfully modified it into the calm Slavia opening.

Playing quietly in the beginning, Seirawan, who termed his duel with Utut as "the best he ever had during the last two years," seemed to be satisfied with a draw result.

The two grand masters seemed seesaw back and forth until the 25th move when Utut turned attack-minded and captured Seirawan's c1 rook with his c8 rook.

Seirawan made amends by capturing Utut's c8 rook with his a1 rook. But at the 26th Utut challenged Seirawan to capture his e8 rook by moving it to c8. At the 27th move, Seirawan accepted the challenge and lost his c8 rook to Utut's d6 knight.

"At this point, I was pretty sure the game would result in a draw, so I offered him a draw," Utut said of the 27th move, which turned out unexpectedly.

But Seirawan, who previously dueled with nine of the world's best grand masters, immediately rejected Utut's offer because "experience told me that such a stance would bring a victory for White."

He was right, though it still took him 20 moves before eventually putting an end to Utut's resourceful venture. At the 28th move, Seirawan put his d4 knight to e2, which Utut alluded to as "a hole I failed to notice," -- a hole which brought about his downfall.

"This is a lesson for me. He is simply a better player," said Utut, whose duel with Seirawan was his first FIDE-sanctioned duel in his 21-year career as chess player. (arf)