Une pure formalité

Wesley So – Alex Yermolinsky
24th North American Open; Las Vegas, December 28, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

“MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So waylaid American Grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky in just 21 moves in a Bishop’s variation of a Queen’s Gambit Declined Sunday to seize the solo lead in the 24th North American Chess Open in Las Vegas, Nevada”, Joey Villar writes in his report tp philSTAR.com. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 c5 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Qc2. The alternative was 11. Rc1 Na6 12. Ne2 Qb6 13. Ng3 g6 14. h4 Rfd8 15. h5 Ne4 16. hxg6 hxg6 17. Ne5 Nb4 18. Bb1 Qe6 19. a3 Nc6 20. Nxc6 Bxc6 21. Nxe4 dxe4 ½ : ½ Keres – Simagin, 33rd USSR Chess Championship, Tallin 1965. 11. ... Nbd7 12. Rfd1 Qb6 13. Ne5 Rfd8. Obviously Black could have played better, here or on the previous move. 14. Na4 Qa5 15. Nxd7 Rxd7 16. Bf5 Rdd8

17. b4! The decisive blow, winning the Exchange. 17. ... cxb4 18. Bc7 Qb5 19. Bxd8 Rxd8 20. Qc7 Re8 21. Bd3 1 : 0.

Wesley So