Utut Adianto extends lead in Madras chess tourney

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Utut Adianto displayed some innovative variants to outwit home favorite RB Ramesh in the Cakti Chess Invitational tournament in Madras, India on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Indonesian grandmaster defended strongly with the black pieces in his favorite Caro-Kann game through which he solidly set up a position which forced the Indian number six to resign after 26 moves.

The victory kept Utut on top of the standings in the 12-person round-robin tournament with 3 1/2 points, half a point ahead of English veteran Anthony Miles, who beat Sulaeman Lovlu of Bangladesh on the same night.

Trailing in the third is Bangladesh's grandmaster Niaz Mursheed with 2 1/2 points after a fourth-round draw with Varugeese Koshy of India.

An over-confident Ramesh opted for an open battle, offering a number of tricky sacrifices that received no answer from his composed opponent.

The Indian kept up his pressure, but blundered on his 19th move when he removed his black-square bishop, instead of taking a knight, only to let Utut take the initiative.

Utut showed his brilliance in the 23rd move when he declined Ramesh's bishop sacrifice, taking a pawn instead.

Following several exchanges, Ramesh resigned when Utut placed a rook to thwart the white queen that would have led to a decisive exchange of two minor white pieces for a black rook. With Utut taking a two-pawn advantage, Ramesh felt his hopes of getting even a draw had gone.

The Indonesian is expected to score his fourth win as he plays white against another Indian, Sharad Tilak, in the fifth game. Utut needs five more wins in the remaining seven matches to improve his current elo rating of 2,610.

Tilak wasted his advantageous white pieces, only to crash to compatriot grandmaster Dibyendu Barua on Wednesday. It was Barua's first win after four matches. (her/amd)

Results: Ramesh (Ind) 0 Utut (Ina) 1 Tilak (Ind) 0 Barua (Ind) 1 Miles (Gbr) 1 Lovlu (Bld) 0 Sudhakar (Ind) 1/2 Thipsay (Ind) 1/2 Koshy (Ind) 1/2 Mursheed (Bld) 1/2 Konguvel (Ind) 1/2 Prasad (Ind) 1/2

Leading standings: 1. Utut 3 1/2 2. Miles 3 3. Mursheed 2 1/2