Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Asian Games team bowed down 0.5-2.5 for the second time against world chess players in their Saturday duels, with Grand Master Utut Adianto once again salvaging a consolation half point for the host.
Overall, the national squad -- which will play at next month's Asiad in Doha -- was beaten 5.5-6.5 in a four-day classic chess match.
The host only secured a 4.5-1.5 win in Tuesday's one-day rapid chess match but it was worthless as rapid chess results are only counted should the classic chess final end in a draw.
The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) spokesman Kristianus Liem said Utut (Elo rating 2,589) defended well to get a draw Saturday against GM Jan Timman of the Netherlands (2,565), who wanted to retaliate for his defeat on Friday.
""Utut is a very experienced chess player, so he is not easily defeated,"" Kristianus said. ""Maybe his weakness now is his declining stamina and lack of competition.""
Utut took a 2.5-1.5 win over Timman in the four-day match to seize the US$5,000 winner's prize. Timman brought home $3,000.
Susanto Megaranto (2,492), who beat his Filipino opponent GM Eugenio Torre (2,552) on Friday, was beaten Saturday.
""Susanto was seeking a draw in his final match against Torre. It was wrong because when Susanto made mistakes, Torre easily beat him,"" Kristianus said.
Susanto should not have lost in his four matches against Torre as he was in the position to win three matches and draw in one match, he added.
""But Susanto could only get one victory and one draw (1.5 points), while Torre got 2.5 points in their matches. Susanto is not stable yet.""
Torre brought home $3,000 and Susanto pocketed $2,000.
Commenting on Women International Master (WIM) Irene Kharisma Sukandar (2,239), who lost her Saturday match against Slovenia's WIM Jana Krivec (2,315), Kristianus said Irene's weakness was her ineffective and slow opening moves.
""She always believes in her own calculations, but she has yet to understand that chess is also about strategy and timing,"" he said.
In their four-day duel, Irene lost 1.5-2.5 against Krivec. Irene bagged $500 from the duel, while Krivec grabbed the $1,000 winning prize.
