Utut clinches second place in Biel Masters

JAKARTA (JP): A one-day break allowed Indonesian Grand Master Utut Adianto to recoup at the Biel Masters in Switzerland on Sunday.

Refreshed Utut demonstrated his usual pressurizing style when playing white to beat GM Florin Gheorghiu of Rumania in the sixth game of the 11-round tournament.

But it still took Utut 45 moves in four hours and 25 minutes to force his stubborn opponent to resign. The result could have gone either way if the Indonesian had failed to capitalize on Gheorghiu's blunder midway through the game.

The victory puts Utut in a three-way tie for second in the provisional standings with 4.5 points, together with International Master Alexander Cherniaev, IM Abhijit Kunte and GM Gabor Kallai.

"I managed to maintain a slight upper hand throughout the game after he blundered in the 26th move," Utut said in his faxed release made available to The Jakarta Post. He did not elaborate on his opponent's mistake.

GM Milos Pavlovic of Yugoslavia led the pack with 5 points after beating GM Zurab Sturua of Georgia, the man who handed Utut his first defeat on Friday.

Other results Sunday were GM Lajos Portisch-IM Devaki Prasad 0.5-0.5, Kaenel-Kallai 0-1, Kunte-FIDE Master Niklaus Gietz 1-0, IM Dejan Pikula-Mikhailevsky 0.5.-0.5.

Five more rounds remain in the annual tournament before it ends Friday.

Fifty-eight players from 15 countries are taking part in the event, which offers total prize money of 42,800 Swiss francs. (lnt)