Utut draws with Hracek in latest cup match
Utut draws with Hracek in latest cup match
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's top player Utut Adianto blew away
his chance to score a win in the eighth round of the MK Cafe Cup
in Koszalin, Poland on Tuesday and had to settle for a draw with
Zbynek Hracek of the Czech Republic.
The two Super Grand Masters agreed to an equal ending, to
Utut's disappointment, after 66 moves of a game that lasted
nearly six hours.
"I could have won the game, had he failed to neutralize my
attacks after the 38th move," Utut said in his statement made
available to The Jakarta Post yesterday.
Playing white, Utut took total control on the 24th move with a
pawn sacrifice that opened the way for attacks. A cool Hracek
slowed down Utut with two brilliant defensive maneuvers on the
35th and 38th moves.
Utut, hoping that his Czech opponent would blunder, then
barely managed to pressure him.
The draw leaves Utut and Hracek in a nine-way tie for the
third place in the provisional standings with 5.5 points. The
pack also includes GM Alexander Beljavski, GM Michal Krasenkov,
GM Jaan Ehlvest, GM Emil Sutovsky, GM Sarunas Sulskis, GM
Rogozenko and IM Bartosz Socko.
GM Igor Khenkin of Israel moved closer to the championship
trophy and the winner's US$5,000 purse after beating Sulskis
Tuesday. With just two games remaining, the Israeli now has seven
points after six wins and two draws.
GM Igor Novikov of Ukraine is second, one point behind. He
beat GM Edvins Kengis in another match of the day.
Other results from Tuesday were (first names play white): GM
Jacek Gdanski-Krasenkov 0-1, International Master Markowski-GM
Sergei Movsesian 0.5-0.5, Beljavski-GM Petr Haba 1-0, GM Michal
Brodksy-Ehlvest 0-1, GM Alexander Volzhin-GM Eduardus Rozentalis
0.5-0.5, Sutovsky-IM Podgaets 1-0, Rogozenko-GM Kreinys 1-0,
Socko-GM Vanlin 1-0.
Chess observer Kristianus Liem predicted yesterday that Utut's
chance to win were looking dim after Tuesday's draw.
"My most optimistic estimate is that Utut will finish second,
provided he sweeps the last two matches and Novikov loses at
least once or draws both games," Kristianus told the Post. (lnt)