So-so

Ray Robson – Wesley So
59th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis, April 7, 2015
Spanish C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. Nc3 Ne8 10. Nd5 Bd6 11. Re1 Nf6 12. Nxf6+. For 12. Qf3 Nxd5 13. Qxd5 Re8 see Zelčić – C. D’Amore, 24th European Club Cup, Kallithea 2008. 12. ... Qxf6 13. d4 c6 14. Be3 b6 15. Bd3 Bc7 16. d5. An interesting Pawn sacrifice. “I know Wesley, I know how good of a player he is, but with White it was going to be hard for him to hurt me”, Ray Robson said. “I was just trying to play normal moves and, if I got an advantage where I could press, then I would try [to win]. But otherwise if he plays very solidly, a draw would be OK”. 16. ... Be5 17. c3 cxd5 18. Qg4 d6 19. Qa4 Qd8 20. Rad1 Be6 21. Bb5 a6 22. Bc6 b5 23. Qa3 Rb8. Wesley decides to give back his extra Pawn aiming for counterplay. 24. Qxa6 b4 25. Ba7 Rc8 26. cxb4 Qh4 27. Rxe5. “Honestly, I think [27. Rxe5] was the best move in the situation”, Robson said. “I think I let the position get a little bit out of hand, but I still thought that I have these really strong Pawns on the Queenside, and my Bishop is really strong as well”. 27. ... dxe5 28. Bc5 Rfd8 29. a4 d4 30. Bb7 Rb8 31. Ba7

31. ... Qe7. “So had a great opportunity on move 31 with the double sacrifice 31. ... Rxb7! 32. Qxb7 Bd5 33. Qc7 Bxg2! The Bishop can’t be taken, but if it’s not then it will play a major role in what should be a decisive attack on White’s King. Even after missing that chance Black was better, but errors on moves 34-36 gave Robson a winning advantage he converted a few moves later”, Dennis Monokroussos wrote. 32. Bxb8 Rxb8 33. Bf3 Qxb4 34. a5 g5. A hasty move that fatally weakens Black’s Kingside. 35. h3 Qxb2 36. Qd6 Rc8 37. Qxe5 h6 38. Qxd4 Qxd4 39. Rxd4 Rc1+ 40. Rd1 Rc7 41. a6 Ra7 42. Bb7 1 : 0. “Obviously, [So] is the best player I’ve ever beaten in a tournament, so it’s a great feeling. I feel bad that I kind of ruined his chances for the tournament, but overall I can’t complain with a win... I still think Hikaru is the clear favorite. He already has the lead, and he’s already played Wesley and Gata. I’m still expecting him to win a lot more games”, Robson said.

Ray Robson vs. Wesley So
Photo: Lennart Ootes