Susanto gifted player, says Utut

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's number one chess player GM Utut Adianto has applauded teen sensation Susanto Megaranto's successful run at the ongoing chess Olympiad to become the country's youngest player -- at the age of 17 -- to attain a GM title.

"I'm very happy with Susanto's success. I know he is a player with great talents," Utut told The Jakarta Post here on Friday.

Utut was initially included on the team before he decided to skip it, saying that he was keen to give young players a chance at the tournament.

Before Susanto's feat, Utut held the record as Indonesia's youngest player ever to be crowned with the Grand Master (GM) title when he did so at the age of 21 in the 1986 Olympiad in Dubai.

While offering his praises, Utut said that it would take more work for Susanto to become Indonesian number one and one of the world's elite players.

"He's a gifted player and he should be able to get more than what he has achieved with hard work," he said.

"He should study as much as possible about chess from written materials. He will need to enrich his chess repertoire," he added.

Susanto has been assured of the GM title after he surpassed the minimum performance rating of 2600 when the 14-round Olympiad entered its 12th round.

In the 13th round on Thursday, however, he lost to GM Dashzeveg Sharavdorj, though Indonesia beat team Mongolia with an overall score of 2.5 to 1.5 points.

His fellow young Indonesians Tirta Chandra and Taufik Halay emerged as the winners with their defeat of Duurenbayar Erhembayar and Myagmarsuren Gunbayar while Dede Liu, who has lost seven times, improved his play by drawing with Bazar Hatanbaatar.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's women's squad, which rested Irene Kharisma, fell to a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Bosnia- Herzegovina.

The team decided to rest Irene in the last three rounds after she was assured of a medal.