Utut to take part in $40,000 Biel Master
Utut to take part in $40,000 Biel Master
JAKARTA (JP): Grand Master Utut Adianto will again take part
in the US$40,000 Biel Master, an invitational meet for super
grand masters from July 22 to Aug. 5 in Biel, Switzerland. But
this time he himself is one of the super grand masters.
The Indonesian number one chess player has entered the circle
of the world's super grand masters after his impressive win at
the Asia Pacific Zone 3.2 chess tournament in Genting Highland,
Malaysia, last month.
The victory gave Utut 10 extra points to add to his previous
elo rating of 2,585. He had also reserved five points after the
Chess Olympics in December, shooting his rating to the minimum
Super Grand Master standard of 2,600 when the world chess body
announces the players' new elo rating next month.
The 30-year-old grand master now ranks 70th in the world. To
further boost his ranking, he has to collect at least six points
during the 13-round meet.
But Utut is fully aware that he is going to meet tough
opponents. Prior to his departure, he expected to be able to
collect five points, three by beating three grand masters whose
elo ratings were lower than his and the other two by stealing
some points from counterparts with higher elo ratings.
"I know it's pretty difficult to score points over those who
rank above me. But everything depends on preparation," Utut
said.
Utut said he had made 10-day intensive preparations for the
meet by studying the games his prospective opponents had played
during the 1994-1995 tournament seasons.
The thirteen super grand masters waiting for him in Biel
include GM Alexei Shirov of Latvia (2,695), who was ranked second
with an elo rating of 2,740 at last year's meet and Alexei Dreev
of Rusia (2,670), winner of last year's Wijk aan Zee tournament.
During the meet, Utut will also have chance to retaliate
against Boris Gelfland of Belarus (2.685) and Jan Timman of the
Netherlands (2.590) for earlier losses. In 1993, Timman
challenged world number one Anatoly Karpov for the world
championship crown. He also managed to become a finalist for
world champion in 1990.
Some other invitees at the meet are Nick de Firmian of the
United States (2,605, the world's 49th), Viktor Gavrikov of
Kazakhstan (2,605, the world's 50th), Vadim Zvjaginsev of Russia
(2,600, the world's 65th) and Julian Hodgson of England (2,590).
Utut, who earned appearance money of US$2,500 for the meet, is
scheduled to appear at another chess tournament in Beijing next
month.(arf)