Sicilian Tales! - Pipan vs Wesley So | Best Chess Games Of Wesley So

Opening: Sveshnikov Sicilian
Title: Sicilian Tales! - Pipan vs Wesley So | Best Chess Games Of Wesley So

Hello Chess Friends and Welcome to the Channel. In today's video we'll begin the Wesley So Serie with one of his best early games played in 2003. Wesley So was born in the Philippines in Bacoor City in 1993. He was 6 years old when learnt the movement of the chess pieces and after that, he began to play with people in his neighborhood. At 9 years old he began to compete in local junior competitions and In 2003 he won the National Championship for the ten age group. At the end of 2003 he was playing the world championship under 10 in Greece. In round 3 with the black pieces he played against Tim Pipan. Let's review the game together


1. e4 {How will Wesley answer? almost all the great chess teachers suggest
that the kids should answer to e4 with e5. And I agree but here we are talking
about kids that are competing and in my opinion they should play as many
openings as possible. Wesley replies with} c5 {the Sicilian Defense} 2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 {attacking the knight is the Sveshnikov. The
Knight moves to} 6. Ndb5 {with the idea to jump with check to d6 that will
force Black to exchange the dark square bishop} d6 {prevents the Knight jump.
We know from modern theory that there are two main continuations for White.
Bg5 and Nd5. After Nd5 With both Knights that can jump to c7, Black is forced
to exchange on d5. Instead white brings back the Knight to} 7. Na3 {that is a
bit tame} Be7 8. Be2 Be6 {is a new control on d5. If now Nd5, Black can
capture without fearing the pawn fork} 9. Be3 (9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. exd5 Qa5+ {
wins the pawn}) 9... O-O {Black is doing fine, white should castle and then
try to improve his position} 10. h4 {is premature. Wesley answers in the center
} d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Rh2 {White wants to keep the rook on the
h-file to support the kingside attack but who has the initiative in this
position?} Qa5+ 14. Bd2 Qb6 15. c4 Be4 16. Nb5 {what's the weakest point in
white's camp? f2 is only protected by the King and attacked by the enemy queen.
Wesley increases the pressure against f2} Bc5 17. f3 {is a superblunder. g3 is
the move to play} (17. g3 {with the rook defending f2 is the best idea. Now
Black must pay attention because the Knight on b5 is particularly active.
Let's watch what happens if Black continues with the natural move Rd8} Rad8 (
17... Nd4 18. Nc3 f5 19. Na4 Qc6 20. Nxc5 {and now there are many good moves}
Qxc5 {is good} (20... Bf3 {is even stronger} 21. Nb3 Nxe2 22. Qc2 Be4 23. Qd1
Ng1 24. Kf1 Nf3 {if now} 25. Rh3 Bd3+ 26. Kg2 Ne1+ 27. Kh2 Qg2#) 21. b4 Qc6 22.
b5 Qd6 23. Rc1 f4 {begins a crushing attack} 24. g4 Nxe2 25. Qxe2 Bd3 26. Qd1
Qd4 27. Qf3 Rad8 {and black is winning}) 18. Nc3 {comes with tempo attacking
the unprotected bishop} Bf5 19. Na4 {and it's not possible to defend the
bishop. that's why after g3 the best continuation for Black is}) 17... Bg1 {
Qf2 is checkmate} 18. Qb3 {clears d1 for the king. Here comes the only mistake
by Wesley So. He captures the rook} Bxh2 {but there is something much much
stronger} (18... Qf2+ 19. Kd1 Rfd8 {and white has nothing to play} 20. Rh1 {
after fxe4 Black will win with same combination} Rxd2+ 21. Kxd2 Rd8+ 22. Kc1
Qe1+ 23. Bd1 Qd2#) 19. Be3 Qa5+ 20. Bd2 Bg3+ 21. Kd1 Rad8 {pins the bishop
threatening checkmate on d2} 22. Nc3 {block's the queen's action. But Wesley
finds the crushing sacrifice} Rxd2+ 23. Kxd2 Rd8+ 24. Ke3 Qc5+ 25. Kxe4 Qd4+
26. Kf5 Qf4# 0-1


Almost a miniature, a fantastic game played with Black by a 10 years old Wesley So. I hope that you liked my choice to begin the serie with this game. If you did please don't forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel. For now, thank you very much for watching and see you tomorrow.


Photos by:

Lennart Ootes
FIDE Master and Professional Photographer
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