PINOY/FOREIGN MOVIES
KHANTY-Mansiysk, Russia - After hurdling three Russian heavyweights in a smashing campaign in the 2009 World Chess Cup, GM Wesley So resumes his bid for chess history when he takes on GM Vladimir Malakhov of Russia in the 16-player fourth round at the Khanty-Mansiysk Center of Arts.
So, dubbed by the foreign media here as "a fantastic gold nugget causing the World Cup irreplaceable losses with his upset victories," begins a two-game showdown against the 22nd-seeded Malakhov (ELO 2706) Monday in one of eight remaining matches being held to determine the challenger to the next world champion.
Wesley So
"I know that I should always do my best in the classical games of each round. If I win one game, I'm almost there," said So, who is already assured of US $30,000 ( about P1.46 million) in prize money by reaching the Last-16.
The 16-year-old So, who got a one day rest after finishing off defending champion GM Gata Kamsky, 1.5-.5, in their two-game showdown Saturday, spent most of his time inside his room to prepare for his next match and avoid the cool minus-30 weather condition in this resort town situated near the Irtysh river in Okrug, Western Siberia.
GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. said the 59th seeded woodpusher devoted most of the time analyzing the games of the 29-year-old Malakhov.
Antonio and fellow GM Darwin Laylo, who were both eliminated in the first round of the 128-player tournament, are now assisting So in his preparations, first against GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in the second round and Russian-born GM Gata Kamsky of the US in the third round.
A two-time world championship finalist, Malakhov is currently ranked 31st in the world in the recent FIDE ratings for November 2009. He reached as far as the second round of the 2007 world championship, losing to fellow Russian GM Alexander Grischuk, 1.5-.3.5.
Malakhov earned the right to meet the young So when he knocked out GM Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, 4-1, with three of the victories coming in the tiebreak rapid matches.
Antonio said So will definitely go for the win against Malakhov in their first game to gain an early psychological advantage "just like what he did against Ivanchuk and Kamsky."
The winner of the So-Malakhov encounter will then meet the victor of the match between GMs Peter Svidler of Russia and Alexei Shirov of Spain in the quarterfinal round of this knockout-style competition.
I know that I should always do my best in the classical games of each round. If I win one game, I'm almost there.
– GM Wesley So
Svidler, seeded third with an ELO of 2754, outlasted GM Arkadij Naiditsch of Germany, 5-3, while Shirov, ranked No.14 with an ELO of 2719, eliminated GM Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia, 1.5-.5.
On Sunday, top seed GM Boris Gelfand of Israel slammed the door on former women’s world champion Judit Polgar of Hungary, 3.5-1.5, to lead the march of the favorites to the next round.
Gelfand, the highest rated player here with an ELO of 2758, recovered from a stunning setback to Polgar in their second game to win two of three rapid tiebreak matches.
Also advancing to the round 16 are second seed GM Vugar Gashimov of Russia, who crushed GM Li Chao of China, 3.5-1.5; Viktor Laznicka of Czech Republic, who subdued GM Viktor Bologan of Moldova, 3.5-1.5; GM Nikita Vitiugov of Russia, who ousted GM Konstantin Sakaev of Russia, 1.5-.5; GM Ruslan Ponomariiov of Ukraime, who bested GM Alexander Mortylev of Russia, 1.5-.5; GM Alexander Grischuk of Russia, who nipped GM Baadur Jobava of Georgia, 5-3;
GM Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia, who downed Alexander Areschenko of Ukrtaine, 4-2; GM Etienne Bacrot of France, who outclassed GM Wang Yue of China, 3.5-1.5; GM Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine, who crushed GM David Navara of Czech Republic, 4-1; GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaian, who humbled GM Wang Hao of China, 1.5-.5; GM Fabiano Caruna of Italy, who trounced GM Evgeny Alekseev of Russia, 3.5-2.5; and GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, who toppled GM Yu Yangyi of China, 1.5-.5.
So, dubbed by the foreign media here as "a fantastic gold nugget causing the World Cup irreplaceable losses with his upset victories," begins a two-game showdown against the 22nd-seeded Malakhov (ELO 2706) Monday in one of eight remaining matches being held to determine the challenger to the next world champion.
Wesley So
"I know that I should always do my best in the classical games of each round. If I win one game, I'm almost there," said So, who is already assured of US $30,000 ( about P1.46 million) in prize money by reaching the Last-16.
The 16-year-old So, who got a one day rest after finishing off defending champion GM Gata Kamsky, 1.5-.5, in their two-game showdown Saturday, spent most of his time inside his room to prepare for his next match and avoid the cool minus-30 weather condition in this resort town situated near the Irtysh river in Okrug, Western Siberia.
GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. said the 59th seeded woodpusher devoted most of the time analyzing the games of the 29-year-old Malakhov.
Antonio and fellow GM Darwin Laylo, who were both eliminated in the first round of the 128-player tournament, are now assisting So in his preparations, first against GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in the second round and Russian-born GM Gata Kamsky of the US in the third round.
A two-time world championship finalist, Malakhov is currently ranked 31st in the world in the recent FIDE ratings for November 2009. He reached as far as the second round of the 2007 world championship, losing to fellow Russian GM Alexander Grischuk, 1.5-.3.5.
Malakhov earned the right to meet the young So when he knocked out GM Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, 4-1, with three of the victories coming in the tiebreak rapid matches.
Antonio said So will definitely go for the win against Malakhov in their first game to gain an early psychological advantage "just like what he did against Ivanchuk and Kamsky."
The winner of the So-Malakhov encounter will then meet the victor of the match between GMs Peter Svidler of Russia and Alexei Shirov of Spain in the quarterfinal round of this knockout-style competition.
I know that I should always do my best in the classical games of each round. If I win one game, I'm almost there.
– GM Wesley So
Svidler, seeded third with an ELO of 2754, outlasted GM Arkadij Naiditsch of Germany, 5-3, while Shirov, ranked No.14 with an ELO of 2719, eliminated GM Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia, 1.5-.5.
On Sunday, top seed GM Boris Gelfand of Israel slammed the door on former women’s world champion Judit Polgar of Hungary, 3.5-1.5, to lead the march of the favorites to the next round.
Gelfand, the highest rated player here with an ELO of 2758, recovered from a stunning setback to Polgar in their second game to win two of three rapid tiebreak matches.
Also advancing to the round 16 are second seed GM Vugar Gashimov of Russia, who crushed GM Li Chao of China, 3.5-1.5; Viktor Laznicka of Czech Republic, who subdued GM Viktor Bologan of Moldova, 3.5-1.5; GM Nikita Vitiugov of Russia, who ousted GM Konstantin Sakaev of Russia, 1.5-.5; GM Ruslan Ponomariiov of Ukraime, who bested GM Alexander Mortylev of Russia, 1.5-.5; GM Alexander Grischuk of Russia, who nipped GM Baadur Jobava of Georgia, 5-3;
GM Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia, who downed Alexander Areschenko of Ukrtaine, 4-2; GM Etienne Bacrot of France, who outclassed GM Wang Yue of China, 3.5-1.5; GM Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine, who crushed GM David Navara of Czech Republic, 4-1; GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaian, who humbled GM Wang Hao of China, 1.5-.5; GM Fabiano Caruna of Italy, who trounced GM Evgeny Alekseev of Russia, 3.5-2.5; and GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, who toppled GM Yu Yangyi of China, 1.5-.5.
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