The Week in Chess

Wesley So came back twice against Magnus Carlsen in order to tie the first set 2-2 of the Skilling Open the first event in the new online Champions Chess Tour.

Carlsen won a delicate endgame in game one. So could have traded rooks with 23....Rc1 and this should have simplified his defensive task, as it was he was under pressure for a long time and 33...Rf5 turned out to be the losing move but the finish was very nicely done winning the Queen. In game two Carlsen was dead lost out of the opening but he generated some great counter play which meant So had to be accurate, after 36.e5? (36.Bd3 was the way) the game was suddenly equal again and this remained the case for a very long time, Carlsen tried to avoid a perpetual check with 89...Kf8?? and got himself checkmated. Game three was Carlsen's smoothest win - he put So under pressure with some very direct attacking play and converted to a winning endgame, even here So briefly equalised after 28.g5?! (28.Kg3 is winning) but had to find 30...c5 instead 30...Rd8 led to a lost endgame. In the final game it was So who put the pressure on surprising Carlsen, putting him in time trouble right out of the opening and then playing with pace and continually putting Carlsen under pressure, 29...Qc5 was Carlsen's chance to really equalise, instead his 29...Bf5 got him into difficulties and 31...Ng4? 32.Ba6 won the misplaced knight. All to play for in tomorrow's (30th Nov) second set, and if that's also tied a blitz and Armageddon tie-break.