Utut clinches second place in Biel Masters

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)