CHESS: MANILA – Filipino Chess Grand Master Wesley So bows to Chess Grand Master Fabiano Caruana in Candidates opener
Chess Grand Master Fabiano Caruana
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MANILA, Philippines — Wesley So fumbled in his opening round bid in the FIDE Candidates Tournament, bowing to US teammate Fabiano Caruana in 33 moves of a Bogo-Indian Defense in Berlin Saturday night.
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The Cavite-born, Minnesota-based So lost his way in a complicated middle-game skirmish with the black that enabled Caruana to slowly build up a kingside attack, resulting in an inevitable mate.
Caruana thus joined Russian Vladimir Kramnik and Azeri Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the early lead.
Kramnik edged compatriot Alexander Grischuk in 48 moves of a King’s Indian Attack, and Mamedyarov trounced former World Challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia in 61 moves of a Ruy Lopez.
Filipino Chess Grandmaster Wesley So
The winner after the double round-robin format will challenge reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the World Chess Championship set Nov. 9-28 in London.
So, seeking to become the first Filipino-born player to make it to the World Championship, opted for an aggressive opening line that saw him pawn-storm Caruana’s kingside.
But So missed his chances with what they later analyzed as weak moves on the 20th, 23rd and 28th and on the 29th, 30th and 32nd that allowed Caruana to come up with a decisive counterattack.
When it was over, So was left with an exposed king and an inferior position that forced him to resign on the 33rd.
The Philippine Star- March 12, 2018 – 12:00am
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