Susanto takes charge at world chess event
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia pulled clear on top of the standings in the U-14 category of the World Youth Chess Championship in Oropesa del Mar, Spain, after scoring his fourth win in as many games on Wednesday.
The most recent casualty of the clinical 13-year-old Indonesian was Mark Bluvshtein of Canada, who resigned after 44 moves.
Susanto's sole command was helped by draw-like results in the other three pairings between the players who had also won all the three games going into Wednesday's fourth round.
"They played so cautiously that they seemed to be content simply with half a point ultimately," said Kristianus Liem, who is accompanying the Indonesian youngsters to the tournament.
The pairings were Hikaru Nakamura of the United States who met Radoslaw Wojtaszek of Poland, Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan who took on Mirhal Meszaros of Slovakia and Ante Brkic of Croatia who played Gwain Jones of England.
Susanto, who won a bronze medal in the U-12 category in the 1999 championship, played white pieces in a French game that earned him the deserved win.
The chasing pack of nine on 3.5 points includes IM (International Master) Evgeni Tomashevski of Russia, with whom Susanto is paired for the fifth round.
Tomashevski has an elo-rating of 2468 compared with Susanto's 2234.
Andrean Susilodinata, playing in the U-12 category, also chalked up a win at the expense of Israeli Maxim Rodshtein, while debutant Boy Reinhard, in the U-10 category, conceded his first loss to Jure Plaskan of Slovenia.
Kristianus said that Rodshtein's playing style had been anticipated well by the Indonesian camp with coach GM Utut Adianto succeeding in preparing a counter.
"Andrean got in control of the opponent up to the 26th move of the Sicilian game. But he abruptly fell to a seemingly too-hasty tactic that resulted in a loss of a pawn in the following five moves.
"Luckily, by then he had a dangerous free pawn on the b-file which later appeared to disrupt Rodshtein's strategy. With a sweet combined attack of the rook and knight, Andrean managed to take two pawns.
"Rodshtein somehow tried to hang on, but could only withstand the offensive until move 51," Kristianus said.
The Indonesian 11-year-old has collected 3.5 points from four matches, to join a group of nine.
Above them are two players still with a perfect four points -- the 1999 champion FM (FIDE Master) Dmitri Andreikine and fourth seed FM Ian Nepomniaschii, both from Russia.
Andrean's opponent in the fifth round will be 2000 champion Ildar Khairoulline of Russia. Boy Reinhard plays Pedro Rego of Portugal.