| Jan-24-10 | | zanshin: I wonder who offered the draw here. Still lots of play in the position. Final position Rybka 3:
click for larger view [-0.42] d=16 17...Rac8 18.Bxe5 dxe5 (0:04.42) 12815kN [-0.40] d=16 17...Nh5 18.Bh2 Qc5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 (0:01.39) 3701kN |
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| Jan-24-10 | | prensdepens: I guess the one who made the last move offered the draw. |
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| Jan-24-10 | | mysql: Theoretically drawn?
But I wish Wesley could have played it a bit longer. |
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| Jan-24-10 | | kurtrichards: Maybe Wesley's gameplan was to draw his eight round game against Ni. The reason why he essayed the Sicilian Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack (notorious for its drawing lines)against Ni's 1.e4. For if Wesley wanted some fighting chess he could have answered Ni's 1.e4 with the French Defense (Wesley's secret weapon last FIDE World Cup)or Sicilian Najdorf or Sicilian Sveshnikov. Or perhaps Wesley wanted to rest after his two strength-sapping win against Nisi and Reinderman. Let us see if Wesley can exact a much-needed win against Sutovsky on Tuesday's round 9. Good luck! |
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| Jan-24-10 | | zanshin: <prensdepens: I guess the one who made the last move offered the draw.> Oh yes, I forgot that rule of etiquette.
<mysql> I don't think it is theoretically drawn - still too early. In fact, according to Rybka, Wesley had a slight advantage. It is probably more a tactical decision based on the upcoming schedule. He'll have his work cut out trying to catch up with Giri. |
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| Jan-24-10 | | mysql: <zanshin: It is probably more a tactical decision based on the upcoming schedule.> Actually, I don't understand Wesley's strategy. He could have played hard here and still get a rest since it's rest day the next day. <He'll have his work cut out trying to catch up with Giri.> It's kinda ironic because in order to catch up with Giri, he has to win. But, he took this early draw instead. :o) |
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| Jan-24-10 | | kazza83: There could be other factors that Wesley considered in accepting the draw. But Giri plays excitingly. Wesley will bounce back. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | kurtrichards: <Wesley will bounce back.> Start right away on the 9th round agsinst the Israeli,Emil Sutovsky,who is playing below par in this tournament. <...in order to catch up with Giri...> possible Giri stoppers - Muzychuk Anna,Akobian,Naiditsch,Negi and So,himself. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | pulsar: The way I see it, Wesley is conserving his strength for the final stretch. Short draw means he has more time to prepare for the the next games. Possibly, the game against Sutovsky is critical (perhaps the most difficult before he plays the tournament leader) as Giri is already pulling away. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | zanshin: <mysql> I hate to second guess Wesley or anything, but I agree with you. With a slight lead in the game and a rest day coming up, he had a good chance to try to close the gap with Giri. But I don't know what other factors he might have been considering. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | kurtrichards: <But I don't know what other factors he might have been considering.> Most,if not all,progidies are puzzles themselves.We,ordinary mortals,can hardly understand their every move. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | ex0duz: The position looks equal, and in a few moves, plenty of pieces would probably be exchanged, especially if Ni Hua wanted a draw(since it looks like he was the one who offered), i don't think Wesley could have done much to stop it, unless he played a move that gives him inferior position. In my patzer opinion, it seems kind of zugzwangish, in that whoever moves first to try for an attack will be the one with inferior position. Ie moves like Nh5, or moving Ne3 somewhere will let the other person do pawn breaks etc. The queenside is completely equal, so it will have to be a kingside pawn move, and that will just weaken their position probably.. so yeah, both players probably thought this, and wanted to conserve their energy for later rounds. They both probably thought it was dead even, because if Wesley thought he really was up 'half a pawn', or at least had some concrete play, i think he would have continued.. The lines zanshin showed makes me think this even more. Rac8 is top move, and then white can just play Rac1 and Bxe5, and then it would be long drawn out draw too probably. Better to just take the draw and save energy and not risk losing even against someone of Ni Hua's strength. |
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| Jan-25-10 | | visayanbraindoctor: Ni Hua played very 'respectfully' in this game. No doubt he still remembers W So vs Ni Hua, 2008 |
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| Oct-19-10 | | SugarDom: Ni Hua (2657) - Wesley So (2656) [B52]
Corus (B Group) Wijk aan Zee NED (8), 24.01.2010
[Houdini 1.03a x64 8_CPU (5m)]
B52: Sicilian: Moscow Variation with 3...Bd7
1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 d6
3.Bb5+ Bd7
4.Bxd7+ Qxd7
5.c4 Nf6
6.Nc3 g6
7.d4 cxd4
8.Nxd4 Bg7
9.h3 Qc7
10.Qe2
[10.b3 Qa5 11.Bd2 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Qe5 13.Qb1 f5 14.Bc3 Qxe4+ 15.Qxe4 fxe4 16.Nb5 Bxc3+ 17.Nxc3 Rf8 18.Nxe4 Nc6 19.Rd1 Rf5 20.0–0 0–0–0 21.f4 Rdf8 22.g3 Kd7 23.Nc3 a6 24.Nd5 b5 Movsesian,S (2751)-Dominguez Perez,L (2717)/Wijk aan Zee 2009/CBM 129/½–½ (34)] 10...Nc6
11.Nc2 0–0
12.0–0 a6N <0.0>
[12...Rfc8 13.b3 a6 14.Bb2 Qa5 15.Ne3 Nd4 16.Qe1 Ne6 17.Rb1 Nf4 18.Ba1 b5 19.Ncd5 Qxe1 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Rfxe1 Bxa1 22.Rxa1 Kf8 23.Kf1 Nd3 24.Red1 Nc5 25.f3 b4 26.Nd5 Rab8 27.Rdb1 Alavkin,A (2460)-Kokarev,D (2603)/Kazan 2009/CBM 130 Extra/0–1 (63)] 13.Bd2 e6 Consolidates d5
14.Rfd1 Rfd8
15.Bf4 White has an active position
15...Ne5 Black threatens to win material: Ne5xc4
16.Ne3 White has an active position
16...Qc6
17.f3 <–0.35> ½–½
click for larger view |
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Kibitzing
