GM Wesley So put together what was probably the most impressive season in USCL History, but unfortunately for him, Game of the Year will be one accolade which will have to wait for next year as his final game was eliminated in third.
This is the eighteenth part in a series of articles which will count down to revealing what game was voted as the 2014 USCL Game of the Year. For more information on exactly how this process works and the prize information, please refer to: Game of the Year Contest
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
3rd Place: GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1-0
With the tricky looking 29. e6!?, GM So forced liquidation into a winning endgame that looked deceptively drawish at first glance
FM Alisa Melekhina (1st Place, 20 Points): The Rookie of the Year shows the veteran USCL MVP how it’s done. So slices through the Benoni with the well-timed, typical e5 breakthrough. However, it’’ the deep liquidation tactic beginning with 29. e6 that stole the show. Someone has clearly been studying his endgames!
It’s one thing to lose a game to a tactical shot coming out of nowhere. It’s also not that terrible to be ground out positionally because you already expect the worst. But nothing is worse than the sinking feeling when you think the worst is over only to realize that your opponent out-calculated you and there’s nothing you can do to avoid a forced endgame sequence. Extremely well-played game from start to precisely-calculated finish.
FM Ron Young (2nd Place, 19 Points): Of the various heavyweight games this season, this was the one where it seemed both sides got their stuff in, and White’s stuff was just stronger. 29. e6 was the crowning touch of elegance that reminds of us of why people used to dress for chess tournaments, while White’s confident transposition into a winning Pawn ending lent a completeness to things.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (5th Place, 16 Points): A nice game from So with good technique all around. The flourish 29. e6 was unnecessary, but it seems to be quite strong.
FM Ingvar Johannesson (8th Place, 13 Points): Such a nice game from So. He seemed to play a very nice positional game and dominate his strong opponent. So much thematic stuff, e5 break in the Benoni and then a typical nice King + Pawn ending. If anything 29. e6 was too fancy but still felt quite nice as the move doesn’t easily occur to a human, but is the second best engine move. Impressive play by So as he proves his already big time rating.
IM Priyadharshan Kannappan (9th Place, 12 Points): Great opening preparation from White, and he could have increased his advantage on move 24 had he played Ne4 instead of fe5. White gave a drawing chance on move 31, if Black had played 31… Red8
Total Score of So vs Becerra: (3rd Place, 80 Points)
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Stay tuned for the final two articles tomorrow as the 2014 Game of the Year is announced!
Week 7: GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) vs GM Holden Hernandez (RIO) 1-0 Article
Week 8: GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1/2-1/2 Article
Eliminated:
3rd Place (80 Points): GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
4th Place (74 Points): GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
5th Place (72 Points): GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs GM Wesley So (STL) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
6th Place (67 Points): GM Alex Lenderman (CON) vs GM Gata Kamsky (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
7th Place (61 Points): GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Alex Lenderman (CON) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
8th Place (60 Points): IM David Vigorito (NE) vs FM Andrew Shvartsman (MAN) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
9th Place (55 Points): GM Anton Kovalyov (RIO) vs GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
10th Place (55 Points): GM Julio Becerra (MIA) vs GM Julio Sadorra (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
11th Place (48 Points): GM Anton Kovalyov (RIO) vs GM Gata Kamsky (NY) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
12th Place (48 Points): GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
13th Place (42 Points): GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
14th Place (41 Points): GM Varuzhan Akobian (STL) vs GM Renier Gonzalez (MIA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
15th Place (38 Points): GM Mackenzie Molner (ARZ) vs GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
16th Place (36 Points): IM Jeffery Xiong (DAL) vs GM Varuzhan Akobian (STL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
17th Place (36 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs IM Jeffery Xiong (DAL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
18th Place (32 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
19th Place (20 Points): IM Georgi Orlov (SEA) vs GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
20th Place (19 Points): IM Kassa Korley (CAR) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article