Dapitan City
March 24-31, 2009
Final Standings
1. GM Wesley So 2627, 9.0/11
2. GM Rogelio Antonio Jr 2519, 7.0/11
3. GM Eugenio Torre 2560, 6.5/11
4-5. GM Mark Paragua 2537, GM John Paul Gomez 2539, 6.0/11
6-8. GM Darwin Laylo 2504, IM Richard Bitoon 2473, IM Julio Catalino Sadorra 2445, 5.5/11
9. IM Rolando Nolte 2488, 4.5/11
10. GM Jayson Gonzales 2468, 4.0/11
11. GM Bong Villamayor 2471, 3.5/11
12. IM Ronald Dableo 2432, 3.0/11
Average Rating: 2505
Category 11, GM norm: 7/11
GM Wesley So, the youngest in the field at 15 years of age, completely dominated the Battle of GMs this year by scoring seven wins (Eugene Torre, John Paul Gomez, Laylo, Nolte, Jayson Gonzales, Bong Villamayor and Dableo) and four draws over 11 rounds and left no doubt as to who is currently the best player in the country.
He started off with five straight wins and then perhaps toyed with the idea of drawing his way till the end of the tournament, agreeing to a short draw with GM Joey Antonio. NCFP President Butch Pichay would have none of that, though, and nullified the fightless draw, directing them to replay the game in the morning of the penultimate round. Although the replay game was likewise drawn, the effect of the reprimand was to force Wesley to buckle down to work again and he managed to beat Dableo in the next round and Laylo in the last.
There was nothing lucky about his victories, as Wesley clearly outclassed his opponents — indeed, he is showing himself to be too strong for local opposition.
I have been deluged with e-mail demanding to see his win over Eugene, so here it is.
Torre, Eugenio (2560) — So, Wesley (2627) [D13]
Phoenix Petroleum Battle of GMs Dapitan City Resort Hotel (3.5), 25.03.2009
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 a6
The Chebanenko Slav, all the rage nowadays.
5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4
Eugene avoids all the complicated lines and transposes to the Exchange Variation of the Slav.
6...Nc6 7.Rc1 Bf5 8.e3 Rc8
If Black is in an aggresive move he can try the idea of Grischuk: 8...e6 9.Qb3 Ra7 10.Be2 Be7 11.0-0 Nd7 12.Na4 g5!? with complicated play. Obviously Wesley, knowing that sitting across him is one of the toughest players in the Philippines to beat, is making a conscious effort not to force anything and keep up the solid play, at the same time looking for a chance to break through.
9.a3 e6 10.Be2 Be7 11.0-0 0-0
Still maintaining the symmetry. Now they start playing.
12.Nd2 Na5 13.Na2?!
Too passive. As you will see from the game continuation this move gives Wesley the opening to seize the initiative. Perhaps better was 13.Na4 b5 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.dxc5 followed by b2-b4 and White is looking great.
13...b5 14.Rxc8 Qxc8 15.b4?
Definitely a mistake. Both players have weaknesses on a3 and a6, respectively, but Black’s pieces are better positioned to move in.
15...Nc4 16.Qc1
[16.Nb1 does not work because of ...Bxb1 followed by ...Nxa3]
16...a5 17.Nxc4 dxc4 18.bxa5?
Eugene is not his usual tough self. He should just leave his pawns as they stand. By bxa5 he allows Black to pick off the a3 pawn and organize two passed pawns on the queenside.
18...Qa6 19.Nb4 Qxa5 20.Nc6
It might be better to bring his dark-squared bishop to the queenside with 20.f3! Bxb4 21.axb4 Qxb4 22.e4 Bg6 23.Bd2 Qa4 24.Qb2 and it is not so easy for Black to advance his pawns.
20...Qxa3 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Qb2 Qd7 23.Bf3 Rc8 24.Rc1 Be4 25.Be2 Nd5 26.Bg3 Bd3!
This bishop cannot be taken.
27.Bf3
[27.Bxd3? cxd3 28.e4 Rxc1+ 29.Qxc1 Nb4 30.Qc3 Qc6! 31.Qe1 Na2! 32.Bf4 (he has to prevent ...Qc1) 32...Qc3 33.Qxc3 Nxc3 34.Kf1 b4 35.f3 b3 wins]
27...c3 28.Qb3 Qc6 29.Bxd5 exd5 30.Qa3 Ra8 31.Qe7 c2
Now the threat is ...Qc3 followed by ...Ra1, taking care not to be mated on his back rank.
32.h3 h6 33.Bf4 Qc3 34.e4 Bxe4 35.Kh2 Qxd4 36.Qb7 Qxf2 0-1
Final position
It is truly a joy to watch Wesley So’s development from a promising prodigy to one of the top players of the world. Do you know that 3 years ago, in the April 2006 FIDE list, Wesley was just rated 2254? He made a quantum leap in April 2007, gaining almost 300 points to check in as 2519 and sporting the International Master title. Another year more, in April 2008, he was already ranked no. 1 player in the Philippines as a Grandmaster with a rating of 2540.
Based on the latest FIDE Rating List, released just last April 1, 2009, Wesley’s rating has made another jump — it is now 2641, good enough for no. 89 in the world, no. 11 in Asia, and it also makes him the strongest 16 year old on Earth as of today.
In the Philippines here is the new pecking order:
1. GM Wesley So 2641
2. GM Eugenio Torre 2561
3. GM John Paul Gomez 2538
4. GM Mark Paragua 2529
5. GM Rogelio Antonio Jr 2518
6. GM Darwin Laylo 2509
7. GM Joseph Sanchez 2483
8. IM Richard Bitoon 2479
9. IM Rolando Nolte 2479
10. GM Bong Villamayor 2474
11. GM Jayson Gonzales 2465
12. IM Julio Catalino Sadorra 2451
13. IM Roland Salvador 2445
14. IM Ronald Dableo 2441
15. IM Oliver Dimakiling 2426
The names of veterans like the Garma brothers (Chito and Edgardo), Barlo Nadera, Ricardo de Guzman are already nowhere in sight, and there is a new group in their place.
A few weeks ago I was interviewed on the Internet Chess Club chess.fm radio station and IM John Watson asked me about Wesley So. I said that he is only 15 years old and progressing so fast that I expect him to reach 2700 by the end of this year. Watson laughed and said that it was a tall order. I think it just might be possible .
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