3.3 ZONAL CC Round 4

This is about the game of Ngoc Truong Son playing White and Wesley So playing Black in Round 4 of Zonal Chess Championship. Wesley So (born October 9, 1993) is a Filipino chess grandmaster. So achieved the GM title at the age of 14 years, 1 month and 28 days. Nguyễn Ngọc Trường Sơn (born Rach Soi, Rach Gia, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam; February 23, 1990) is a leading Vietnamese chess player.

[Event "3.3 ZONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP"]
[Site "Tagaytay City, PHI"]
[Date "2013.01.24"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son"]
[Black "So, Wesley"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2682"]
[ECO "A00"]
[EventDate "2013.01.22"]
[Board "1"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "PHI"]

The following is the starting position.

1.d4 Nf6 

2.c4 g6 

3.Nf3 Bg7 

4.g3 c6 

5.Bg2 d5 (see the diagram below)

My comment : Black seems okay and manage to equalize without serious difficulties.

6.Qb3 O-O 

7.O-O Qb6 

8.Nc3 Bf5 

9.cxd5 Qxb3 

10.axb3 (see the diagram below)

My comment : Black managed to make two White's pawns doubled but still not enough.

10... Nxd5 

11.Bg5 Re8 

12.Nxd5 cxd5 

13.b4 Nc6 

14.b5 Nd8 (see the diagram below)

My comment : The retreat of the piece (knight to d8 square) seems that Black's position is weak but my limited Houdini suggested that this is still equal.

Anyway, both players played well. Well done. The following is the game without my interference.

[Event "3.3 ZONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP"]

[Site "Tagaytay City, PHI"]

[Date "2013.01.24"]

[Round "4"]

[White "Nguyen, Ngoc Truong Son"]

[Black "So, Wesley"]

[Result "1/2-1/2"]

[WhiteElo "2631"]

[BlackElo "2682"]

[ECO "A00"]

[EventDate "2013.01.22"]

[Board "1"]

[PlyCount "87"]

[EventRounds "9"]

[EventCountry "PHI"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 d5 6.Qb3 O-O 7.O-O Qb6 8.Nc3 Bf5 9.cxd5 Qxb3 10.axb3 Nxd5 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.b4 Nc6 14.b5 Nd8 15.Rfc1 Ne6 16.Be3 Be4 17.Ra4 a6 18.bxa6 Rxa6 19.Rb4 Rc6 20.Ra1 Rb8 21.Ng5 Nxg5 22.Bxg5 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 f6 24.Bf4 e5 25.Be3 Rc2 26.Ra5 exd4 27.Bxd4 Rxe2 28.Ba7 Bf8 29.Rb3 Ra8 30.Rxb7 Re7 31.Rxe7 Bxe7 32.Bb6 Rxa5 33.Bxa5 Kf7 34.Kf3 Ke6 35.Bb6 Bd6 36.Bd4 h5 37.h3 g5 38.Ke3 g4 39.hxg4 hxg4 40.Kd3 f5 41.Be3 Be7 42.Bf4 Bc5 43.Be3 Be7 44.Bf4 1/2-1/2