Utut labors to beat Liu

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's No. 1 chess player Utut Adianto had to labor before overcoming wild card entrant compatriot Dede Liu in the 47th move on an Indian Nimzo defense in the seventh round of the Gunadharma International Chess Tournament here yesterday.

It was Utut's third win, placing him second to Hungary's Lajos Portisch in yesterday's standings. Utut benefited from a 27th move blunder by Liu, who captured a pawn which enabled Utut to force a major exchange. Utut sacrificed his rook for a knight.

In another match, international master Ruben Gunawan, also a wild card entrant, toppled Germany's Joerg Hickl after 47 moves, despite playing with the black pieces. The Spanish defense opted by Ruben proved efficient to put high pressure on Hickl. The German lost a bishop in a moment of haste triggered by a time crisis shortly before the 40th move.

Another winner of the day was Lubomir Ftacnik of Slovakia, who beat the Philippines' Eugenio Torre after 50 moves. Ivan Sokolov of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Portisch drew on the 33rd move on a Queen's Gambit defense. (arf)