And It Is So

Wesley So – Alexander Vasilyevich Onischuk
61th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 1, 2017
English Opening A14

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. c4 0-0 6. b3 b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. d4 Nd7 10. Re1 c5 11. e4 N5f6 12. Nc3 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Ne5 14. Qe2 Bc5 15. Red1. A predictable improvement on 15. Ncb5? a6 16. Rad1 axb5 17. Nxe6 Qe7 that promises anything good for White, Giri – So, 2016 Paris Grand Chess Tour (Blitz), Paris 2016. 15. ... Qe7 16. Na4 Bxd4 17. Bxd4 Nc6 18. Be3 Rfd8 19. Nc3 Qb4 20. Qb2 Ng4 21. Bf4 Nce5 22. a3 Qc5 23. Na4 Qb5 24. Nc3 Qc5 25. Na4 Qb5 26. h3! There does not seem to be anything special for White here (except for the two Bishops), but So is not willing to accept a draw by repetition. 26. ... Nd3. 26. ... Rxd1+ 27. Rxd1 Nd3 28. Rxd3 Qxd3 29. hxg4 Rc8 might have been also interesting. 27. Rxd3 Rxd3 28. hxg4 Qxb3? After the exchange of Queens, White’s Bishop pair and (especially!) the powerful Knight will easy take over Black’s citadel. So maybe Black should have played 28. ... Rxb3 29. Qd4 Rc8! (and if 30. Bf1 then 30. ... Qe8) with good drawing chances.

29. Bf1! Qxb2 30. Nxb2. The Knight begins a long journey east. 30. ... Rb3 31. Nc4 Rd8. The e4-Pawn is obviously taboo. 32. Nd6 Ba8 33. g5 Rc3 34. a4 Rc5 35. e5 Rd7 36. Be3 Rxe5 37. Rc1 Rd8 38. Rc7 Rd5 39. Nxf7 Rf8 40. g6! hxg6 41. Ng5 Rd1 42. Nxe6 Re8 43. Rxg7+ Kh8 44. Rxg6 Be4 45. Bd4+ 1 : 0.

Wesley So
Photo: Lennart Ootes