CEZ Trophy: Wesley So strikes first

by Albert Silver
6/15/2015 – The second game of the match between top Czech player David Navara and challenger Wesley So was no less fascinating and was a powerful display by the newly minted American player. Hoping to neutralize White’s ambitions, Black exchanged queens quite early, but it was not enough and Wesley So outplayed his opponent and drew first blood.
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In a slightly unassuming Four Knights English Opening with g3, White had just enough life in the game to avoid petering out into a quick draw, which neither player wanted. It was thirteen moves of theory, following a game from 1988 between Uhlmann and Seirawan. On move fifteen the queens came off, but instead of watching the action fizzle up, the American showed skill as he completely outplayed his opponent.

The gorgeous trophy to go to the winner with a wonderful red cup thing in the middle surrounded
by breathtaking pieces

Vernissage chessmen

Jean-François Cantiere and Pavel Matocha

Pavel Matocha officially starts the second game of the match

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1.c4 0 Nf6 71 2.Nc3 0 e5 10 3.Nf3 0 Nc6 6 4.g3 0 d5 13 5.cxd5 0 Nxd5 6 6.Bg2 0 Nb6 8 7.0-0 0 Be7 10 8.d3 0 0-0 10 9.a3 2 Be6 34 10.Be3 5 Nd5 326 11.Nxd5 4 Bxd5 8 12.Rc1 3 Bd6 103 13.Qa4 402 13.Bc5 Qe7 14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.b4 1/2-1/2 (15) Uhlmann,W (2505)-Seirawan,Y (2510) Thessaloniki 1988 13...Qe8 640 14.Rfe1 (1499) The point is to prevent ...Nd4 and if Qxe8 Nxe2+ would win a pawn. Since Wesley spent 25 minutes on this move, it seems safe to say that he was no longer in preparation. Ne7 480 15.Qxe8 837 Rfxe8 16 16.Bc5 7 Nc6 16 17.b4 6 a6 19 18.Nd2 228 Bxg2 21 19.Kxg2 2 Re7 196 20.Ne4 260 Rd7 39 21.g4! (77) Preventing ...f5 and securing the knight's perch. Nd8 28 22.Bxd6 295 cxd6 15 23.Nc3 19 d5 197 24.Na4 20 Rb8 33 25.e3 425 f6 194 26.f4 384 g6 461 27.Rc2 800 Ne6 89 28.f5 46 gxf5 138 29.gxf5 1 Ng7 209 30.Rf1 (78) White's advantage is clear. Black's knight is currently a passive spectator, and the only open file is controlled by the white rook(s). d4? (206) Whether due to time shortage, or a misjudgement, this is a serious mistake. It allows White to secure the f5 pawn with e4, allowing him to use both his rooks to punch through the c-file. 31.e4 92 Nh5 18 32.Nb6 45 Rg7+ 42 33.Kf3 56 Nf4 28 34.Rfc1!
(80) 34...Rf8 277 The point is that 34...Nxd3? is not possible due to 35.Rc8+ Rxc8 36.Rxc8+ Kf7 37.Rb8! and incredibly the rook cannot protect the pawn as the king has no way to step aside. h5 38.Rxb7+ Kg8 39.Rb8+ Kf7 40.Nd5 and Black is far from resolving his problems. 35.Rc8 100 Rgf7 25 36.Rg1+ 427 Kh8 169 37.Rc2 77 Rd8 493 37...Nxd3 is still not possible due to 38.Nd5 Rd8 39.Rd1 Nf4 40.Nxf4 exf4 41.Kxf4 38.Nd5 64 Nxd5 14 39.exd5 1 Rfd7 12 40.Rgc1 0 Rxd5 0 41.Rc8 108 Kg7 258 42.Rxd8 69 Rxd8 9 43.Rc7+ 1 The difference in rook activity is huge here, and So exploits it superbly. Kh6 27 44.Rxb7 42 Rc8 118 45.h4 (495) It not only boxes in the king, but prevents it from protecting f6 with Kg5 Rc1 169 46.Ke4? (166) Returning the favor. Re1+? 37 46...Rh1 47.Rb6 Rxh4+ 48.Kd5 Kg5 would have held. Black's pawns are certainly no weaker or slower than White's. 47.Kd5 1 e4 81 48.Re7 248 Ra1 (481) Desperation is the only explanation. 48...e3 49.Kxd4+- 49.Rxe4 40 Rxa3 7 50.Rxd4 103 Kh5 157 51.Ke6 63 a5 63 52.bxa5 86 Rxa5 13 53.Kxf6 3 h6 14 54.Rd7 246 Ra4 14 55.Ke7 129 Rd4 (111) Black's last trap. 56.f6 20 56.Rxd4?? Stalemate! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2778Navara,D27511–02015A29Cez Trophy 20152

GM Robert Cvek analyzes the game for the spectators

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Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.

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