CHINA CHESS LEAGUE UPDATE - ITS A DRAW FOR GM SO IN THE 2ND ROUND

May 6, 2009 6:30 A.M

GM Wesley So (2641) settled for a draw using the black pieces against GM Zhao Jun (2560) of China in 2nd round action of the ongoing China Chess League. He lost his 1st round game against GM Zhang Pengxiang (2638)of China. On May 8 ( Thursday) at 1 pm, "Gentle Mauler" will handle white against GM Wu Wenjin (2412). Let's pray for the best!!! Go Wesley fight! Go! Fight!



Here's Wesley's 2nd round game vs Jun Zhao:

[Date "2009.05.06"]
[Round "2"]
[White "GM JUN ZHAO"]
[Black "GM WESLEY SO"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]


( Annotations by NM Glen Bordonada. First posted at Barangay Wesley So Page )


Slav Chepanenko


1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6


Popularized by Chepanenko. It is currently very popular in top echelon chess. Black gets a cramped but solid game.


5. a4 e6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. e3 Qa5 8. Nd2 Bb4= 9. Qc2 c5 10. Nb3

A previous game went this way: 10. Be2 cxd4 11. exd4 dxc4 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. Nxc4 Qc7 14. Qb3 Bd6 15. a5 O-O 16. Qb6 Rd8 17. Bf3 Rb8 18. O-O-O Nd5 19. Qxc7 Bxc7 20. Rhe1 Nb4 21. Nb6 Bxb6 22. axb6 Rd6 23. d5 Rxb6 24. Bg4 Kf8 25. dxe6 Bxe6 26. Bxe6 fxe6 27. Rd7 Rc8 28. Re3 Nd5 29. Rg3 Ne7 but Black eventually lost ...1-0, Beliavsky Alexander - Piket Jeroen, Madrid 1997.


10... Qc7 11. Bxf6?!


Possibly a novelty but there does not seem to be much to it. The move often played here is 11. dxc5 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Bxc5 (Gyimesi - Almasi, Magyarorzag 2000) 13. Be2 O-O 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Bh4 b6 16. O-O Bb7 17. Rfd1 Rac8 18. Rac1 and White has the advantage of the Bishop pair.


11... Nxf6 12. dxc5 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Bxc5 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Be2 Bd7 16. Bf3 Bc6 17. Bxc6+ Qxc6 18. O-O O-O 19. Rfd1 Rfd8 20. h3 h6 21. Qb3 Rac8 22. a5 Ne4 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Nxe4 Qxe4 25. Qa4 Qe5 26. b4?!





This unnecessarily weakens White's pawn structure and gives Black some winning chances. More precise is 26. Qb4 which is easier to draw.

26... Qb2 27. Ra2 Qc1+


(Start of long analysis)


Superior is 27... Qb1+ 28. Kh2 Qe4. The Queen is centralized and the b-pawn is prevented from pushing. 29. Rc2 Qd5 (Another try is 29... g5 30. Qb3 Qe5+ 31. g3 Qe4 32. Qb2 (with the idea of checking at c8 if Black's Rook leaves the backrank) 32... e5 33. Rc1 Qf3 34. Kg1 Rd5 35. Qc2 Kg7 36. Rf1 h5 37. Qc7 Rb5 38. Qd8 Qf5 39. Qe7? (39. e4! Qf6 40. Qd2 holds for White) 39... Qf6! 40. Qxf6+ Kxf6 41. Rb1 b6 42. axb6 a5 43. b7 axb4 and Black is winning.





30. Rc5 Qd6+ 31. Kg1 Qd2 (Threatening 32...Qe1+) 32. g4 Qe1+ 33. Kg2 g5 (To defend against a backrank check) 34. Rc7 Kg7 (If at once 34... Rd2 35. Qe8+ leads to mate.) 35. Rd7 Rxd7 36. Qxd7 Qxb4 and Black is a pawn up.





(End of long analysis)


28. Kh2 Qf1 29. Rc2 Kh7


Here possibly stronger is 29... Qd3 (Stopping 30.Rc7 because of 30...Qd6+. At the same time, Black prevents White from pushing the b-pawn.) 30. Rb2 Rc8 31. b5 Rc4 32. Qa2 Qe4 (Threatening 33...Qe5+.) 33. bxa6 bxa6. Black retains the initiative. There are threats like a backrank mate, Ra4 followed by winning the a-pawn, and control of the central squares. It may not be enough with best defense but Black must find the right moves.


30. Qa2 Rd7 31. Rd2 Rc7 32. Rc2 Rd7 33. Rd2 Rc7 34. Rc2 1/2-1/2