White: GM Wesley So
Black: GM Vassily Ivanchuk
Edmonton Invitational
June 24, 2014
Round 4
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd44. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf67. Qd2 e5 8. Nf5 d5 9. exd5 Nb410. Ng3 Nfxd5 11. a3 Nxe312. fxe3 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Nc614. Bc4 Bg4 15. h3 Rd8+16. Ke1 Bd7 17. Rf1 f618. Ke2 Na5 19. Ba2 Rc820. Kd3 b5 21. Nd5 Nc422. Bxc4 Rxc4 23. Nb6 Rc624. Nxd7 Kxd7 25. c3 g626. Ne4 Be7 27. Ke2 Ke628. g4 h5 29. Rh1 a5 30. Nd2 b431. axb4 axb4 32. c4 b333. g5 fxg5 34. Ra7 Rb835. Rc1 g4 36. hxg4 hxg437. Rg1 Rh8 38. Rg2 Bb439. Rxg4 Kf5 40. Rg2 Bxd241. Rf7+ Ke6 42. Rg7 Rxc443. R2xg6+ Kd5 44. Rd7+ Kc545. Rc7+ Kb5 46. Rxc4 Kxc447. Rg4+ Kd5 48. Kxd2 Rc849. Kd3 Rc2 50. Rb4 Rxb251. Rb5+ Kd6 52. Kc3 Rb153. Rxb3 Rxb3+ 54. Kxb3 Kd555. Kc3 Ke4 56. Kd2 Kf357. Kd3 Kf2 58. Ke4 Ke259. Kxe5 Kxe3 ½-½
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd44. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf67. Qd2 e5 8. Nf5 d5 9. exd5 Nb410. Ng3 Nfxd5 11. a3 Nxe312. fxe3 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Nc614. Bc4 Bg4 15. h3 Rd8+16. Ke1 Bd7 17. Rf1 f618. Ke2 Na5 19. Ba2 Rc820. Kd3 b5 21. Nd5 Nc422. Bxc4 Rxc4 23. Nb6 Rc624. Nxd7 Kxd7 25. c3 g626. Ne4 Be7 27. Ke2 Ke628. g4 h5 29. Rh1 a5 30. Nd2 b431. axb4 axb4 32. c4 b333. g5 fxg5 34. Ra7 Rb835. Rc1 g4 36. hxg4 hxg437. Rg1 Rh8 38. Rg2 Bb439. Rxg4 Kf5 40. Rg2 Bxd241. Rf7+ Ke6 42. Rg7 Rxc443. R2xg6+ Kd5 44. Rd7+ Kc545. Rc7+ Kb5 46. Rxc4 Kxc447. Rg4+ Kd5 48. Kxd2 Rc849. Kd3 Rc2 50. Rb4 Rxb251. Rb5+ Kd6 52. Kc3 Rb153. Rxb3 Rxb3+ 54. Kxb3 Kd555. Kc3 Ke4 56. Kd2 Kf357. Kd3 Kf2 58. Ke4 Ke259. Kxe5 Kxe3 ½-½
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Nakamura is the best fighter.
This game shows us that Wesley So had an excellent end game. Even with a “disastrous” opening he somehow recovered with his excellent middle and end game. Wesley was close to being defeated by Ivanchuck as chucky was launching offensive on both ends, has an advantage in chess piece positions and Wesley under severe time pressure (with less than 2 minutes). If this was the old Wesley he would have resign already but this NEW Wesley is a fighter and kept fighting even with all odds against him and he did offere a great counterplay that eventually neutralize all threats. This shows to you what training under Susan Polgar does… Poise under pressure & excellent middle especially Wesley end game. You can see the disbelief on Ivanchucks face, he should have won the game with all things favoring him but he did not. Now this is the funny part, the game was already drawish but Ivanchuck never offered a draw perhaps because his pride was severely battered/injured lol Good thing Wesley did not offer a draw a manifest sign that he is growing to be an elite player. Both stop fighting when the only remaining piece was their king a technical draw. This is the kind of Wesley So chess fans WANTS, a fighter, excellent middle & especially end game, a brilliant tactician/strategist who thinks well ahead before he moves. Still a work-in-progress but Susan Polgar is doing a great job on him. Guess thats what you get when you have the best player and best coach/trainer in one person in your side… it also become highly contagious lol Piece of advice to Wesley your opening in this game is bad good thing you recover with great middle and end game.