Seirawan maintains lead after a draw

JAKARTA (JP): American grand master Yasser Seirawan maintained a 1.5 - 0.5 lead over Indonesia's number one grand master Utut Adianto when they came to a draw in the second round yesterday in the 29th move.

For Utut, who fell to Seirawan at the 47th move in Tuesday's battle, yesterday's draw, agreed upon at 29th move, was obviously a better result.

With the draw, Utut, whose elo rating has increased to 2,590 after winning the Biel Open in Switzerland last August, has to win today's and tomorrow's matches to reach his targeted elo rating of 2,600.

For Seirawan, the draw was not a bad alternative either as it does no harm to his present elo rating of 2,605.

"I am satisfied with the draw," said Seirawan who used the Slavia opening to start yesterday's duel, in the scheduled four- day match sanctioned by the world chess governing body (FIDE).

The 1991 U.S. champion said he had tried to win the game by adopting his typical quiet style -- the style which brought about his victory over world number one Anatoly Karpov in a rapid chess tournament in Brussels in 1992.

By doing so, Seirawan said he hoped he could gain an advantage over Utut, who fortunately managed to pass the test put forth by the Damascus-born player.

At the 10th move, Seirawan said, he was persuaded to trap Utut by sacrificing the queen but he did not do that because, after long consideration, he was not sure whether deliberately losing his queen would profit him, though he did not think it was risky.

"I drew with him comfortably. A loss would have been harmful to me psychologically," said Utut who convinced that Seirawan was reluctant to attack him because his position was not superior enough to beat him.

Utut said he did not dare to adopt attacking maneuvers to force a victory, because he calculated that such venturesome attacks would put him in an awkward position in the long run.

Given his position, which was not good enough to strike a victory, "I could be burnt to ashes if I force myself to win," said Utut.

Utut stressed that he did not want to repeat his small but costly mistakes which brought Seirawan to victory on Tuesday: bishop at c7 and Seirawan's at h5 -- which resulted in the draw. (arf)