Utut loses in world chess c'ships

Utut loses in world chess c'ships

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Grandmaster Utut Adianto suffered his
first defeat at the world chess championships in Groningen, the
Netherlands, Thursday.

Utut's defeat came in the first game of the second against GM
Peter Svidler of Russia on the 44th move.

Utut, Indonesia's best ever chess player, is 50th in the world
rankings with an elo rating of 2,615. Svidler has an elo rating
of 2695.

Svidler, playing white, started the game with the Ruy Lopez
opening and dominated until the 20th move.

Utut eventually managed to break Svidler's tactics and
strategy on the 21st move. But on the 22nd move, Utut made a
mistake by moving his King in the wrong direction.

Svidler retook the advantage and continued with a combination
of moves which left Utut in a series of corners through the 44th
move. Utut resigned and Svidler won the match.

Utut was disappointed over his blunder and said "I should have
moved my King to the right. If I had played the correct move, I
might have won the match."

Utut, however, acknowledged his defeat and admitted the
Russian was the better player.

"Svidler is a tough player. I want to concentrate better in
the return match on Friday (yesterday)."

In yesterday's return game even a draw could eliminate him
from the championships. Utut's only real answer is to win.

Utut will play with the white pieces.

In other matches Thursday, GM Anand Viswanathan of India won
over GM Predrag Nikolic of Georgia, GM Alexei Shirov (Spain) beat
GM Julio Granda Suniga (Peru), GM Ivan Sokolov (Bosnia) defeated
GM Vladimir Epishin (Russia), GM Andrei Sokolov (Russia) lost to
GM Alexander Nenashe, and GM Alexei Dereev (Russia) drew with
compatriot GM Michal Krasenkov.

Some 100 grandmasters are taking part in the world
championships. The winner will face GM Anatoly Karpov of Russia.
Karpov is currently the FIDE world champion. (lnt)