Indonesian Chess Player Utut Adianto: Playing in Russia Like Sharing Cage With a Tiger

In the opinion of Indonesian chess player Utut Adianto, playing in Russia is like sharing a cage with a tiger. Grand Master Utut Adianto intends to participate in the international open chess tournament "2003-Aeroflot Open", which will be held in Moscow at the beginning of February.

Hundreds of chess players, including Grand Masters of extra class, are expected to participate in the tournament, which is jointly organised by "Aeroflot" airlines and the Association of Chess federations.

Utut Adianto, whose rating is 2,562 points, discreetly estimates his chances at the "2003-Aeroflot Open". "It feels like sharing a cage with a tiger, when you play in Russia", he disclosed in his interview, published by Media Indonesia newspaper on Monday.

"There are so many strong chess players in Russia, which is thought to be the Mecca of Chess, that nobody, even Garry Kasparov, could count on success beforehand", the Indonesian Grand Master stressed.