12/17/2016 – Round 8 of the London Chess Classic was relatively quiet. The most exciting game was Veselin Topalov vs Vishy Anand, in which Anand came up with a stunning novelty and later profited from a blunder by Topalov to score the only win of the round. Wesley So will be happy about the quiet round. He drew with Black against Fabiano Caruana and with this draw he is certain to win the Grand Chess Tour 2016 - the biggest triumph of So's career. Report and games.
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London Chess Classic 2016, Rd. 8
Hikaru Nakamura - Levon Aronian
That was quick. Nakamura and Aronian played a harmless line of the Ragozin Defence without much vigour and after 27 moves they agreed to a draw in a completely equal ending.
Even the Naka needs a quiet day from time to time. #LondonChess Classic.
Caruana vs So, the duel of the second against the first, the American number one against the American number two, was the top encounter of round eight - and it had the potential to decide the tournament.
But before the game could start there were problems to overcome.
The little girl who was to make the first move could at first not reach the d-pawn she wanted to play...
... but she finally managed. Though Caruana still opened with 1.e4.
The game itself was less exciting than the little drama before. In a Berlin with 4.d3 So equalized easily and though Caruana tried to squeeze chances out of the position Black was never in danger and after 37 moves the game was drawn.
With this draw So kept his lead and will start the ninth and final round half-a-point ahead of his rivals. With this draw Wesley So also won the Grand Chess Tour 2016! But he remained humble:
Veselin Topalov is in terrible shape in London and everything seems to go wrong for him. In round 8 Vishy Anand surprised him with a novelty in a line of the Queen's Gambit Declined with Bf4, an opening line Anand had discussed with Magnus Carlsen during their World Championship match in Sochi 2014. Maybe Anand had discovered the stunning 12...b5!? during his preparations for Carlsen:
V. Topalov - V. Anand, position after 12...b5!?
I found Vishy's12..b5 back in 2012.I thought it is dubious. I guess that tells why he is close to 2800 and I am a patzer! @london_chess
After this novelty Topalov defended well and managed to find his way through the complications - but then made two careless moves and threw the game away.
V. Topalov - V. Anand, position after 30...Rxf2
Topalov now played 31.h4? (Better is 31.Rd5 with an approximately equal position) and after 31...Bc2 was in immediate trouble. He could have avoided the worst by playing 32.Rd8+ Kg7 33.Qc4 after which Black's position is better though not immediately won, but instead Topalov blundered with 32.Qc3. After 32...Qb5 Black threatened mate with 33...Qa4# against which White has no adequate answer. White still tried 33.Qc6 but resigned after 33...Rxf3+.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, too, seems to be in bad shape in London. Which showed in his game against Michael Adams. In a Berlin Defence with 4.d3 Adams equalized easily with Black and gradually took over the initiative. Vachier-Lagrave decided to bail out by liquidating into an endgame with a pawn down. This policy paid off - Adams could not convert his material advantage and Vachier-Lagrave saved the draw.
Vladimir Kramnik - Anish Giri
In most of his games Vladimir Kramnik opens with 1.d4 but against Giri he tried 1.e4. Giri countered with a Sicilian Najdorf and though White's victories with 6.Bg5 in the games Caruana - Nakamura and Nakamura - Vachier-Lagrave in the London Chess Classic might have tempted Kramnik to attack with the bishop move he decided to go for 6.g3. This led to a balanced positional game in which Black tried to get something on the kingside whereas White tried to make progress on the queenside. With 29.c4 Kramnik provoked Giri to play a tactical sequence that led to an endgame in which White had a piece for three - and at a certain point even four - pawns. But Kramnik knew what he was doing and drew without too much trouble.
Johannes FischerJohannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
What a year for Wesley! Dream Come True for crossing the rating 2800+!!!
Odomok 12/18/2016 03:19
So why has So already won with one round to go ? So has 5.5 points agains Caruana 5.
I got it, Caruana plays against Giri, most likely a draw.
Dchesstrainor 12/18/2016 02:20
Hello wesley when you were still an IM ,Your father gave me your cell no,I was to invite you to do simul,I jokingly told your father your lucky green water jug was your secret coz your always hydrated maybe your other opponent have already dried their creative genius side.You are a humble chessplayer You in the chess world as Manny Pacquiao in the boxing."humble but great" Our Lord Jesus The brightest star born in a lowly stable but the Kings of kings and Lord of Lords.All i can say with your performance.Eh di WoW !!! ChessTrainor from the Philippines.MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS.TO GOD BE THE GLORY.SAME
yesenadam 12/18/2016 02:02
Ashley "should realize" that is he isn't allowed (by Bright Knight) to ask Naka or Caruana about So? Really. It seems a perfectly reasonable thing to ask. So has had an amazing year, after all. First the Blitz Immortal and now the GCT.. but mention it and you will be accused of hype, adulation, idolization etc. I think that's absurd. Reminds me of the "Leave Britney alone" video. Well, at least Paulstronghold is here to add some balance, complaining about lack of 'hype'...
Congrats Wesley! I'm afraid I'm a huge fan too.
ps yes, JUSTMI, Already.
JUSTMI 12/18/2016 09:35
"Wesley So wins Grand Chess Tour 2016" ? Already? Before Rd. 9? hmm...
jo-henry 12/18/2016 09:17
@PaulStronghold
Hm, strong words. However, in the last weeks and months ChessBase has published quite a few articles about Wesley So. He even annotated two games of the Carlsen vs Karjakin match for ChessBase. And here is a selection of links to some recent ChessBase articles which report about So in more detail:
Interview with the man of the moment: Wesley So: http://en.chessbase.com/post/interview-with-the-man-of-the-moment-wesley-so
Wesley in Hamburg (Visiting the ChessBase headquarters): http://en.chessbase.com/post/wesley-so-in-hamburg
Wesley So: Life at the top (1/2): http://en.chessbase.com/post/wesley-so-life-at-the-top-1-2
Wesley So: Life at the top (2/2): http://en.chessbase.com/post/wesley-so-life-at-the-top-2-2
Bright Knight 12/18/2016 04:02
"I've been asked that question 3 times in this event."
Caruana's response to Maurice Ashley's question clearly shows Fabi's irritation over the commentary panel's hype of Wesley's performance. I think Maurice should realize that he can ask any player about Wesley's recent surge, but not Fabi and Naka. There's a 3-way rivalry on the American chess scene, and none of them (except Wesley perhaps) will be pleased to hear any adulation for the other two.
Paulstronghold 12/18/2016 02:59
Yes, So wins convincingly. But this writer and other writers of this site never give its utmost appreciation for this prodigy who hails from a humble country like the Phils. Since I opened this site, I noticed right away the discrimation accorded to Wesley So - unlike the treatment they show to others like Caruana, Anand and Levon. Pathetic.
nonoyski 12/18/2016 02:01
Congratulation to Wesley for bagging the 2016 GCT and possibly 2016 LCC. We are proud of you as kababayan.
Duckangelito 12/18/2016 12:47
Giri bringing out his special A game treat for this tournament ...
Can't wait for a match Giri - Karjakin !!
Exciting chess.com
TheUsualSuspect 12/18/2016 12:23
Giri makes Carl Schlechter look like a complete wild man.
jsaldea12 12/18/2016 12:15
Keeping relax, good sleep, right foods, exercise.... congrats GM So, and GM Caruana.
Raymond Labelle 12/17/2016 11:54
Good clarification bumpaguv.
In all scenarios, including those in which Wesley loses tomorrow in Round 10, scenarios which themselves include the possibility of Wesley not winning the LCC, Wesley still wins the Grand Chess Tour.
wengardz 12/17/2016 11:17
Congratulations GM So! The greatrst Pinoy chess master.
sranj2016 12/17/2016 10:57
Giri is having a dream tournament so far.
bumpaguv 12/17/2016 09:21
Mr. Fischer (author of the article) did not say that So won the tournament. He says that So will win the "Grand Chess Tour" for this year. :)
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