So bounces back, beats Caruana in Dortmund chess

LAS VEGAS — Wesley So bounced back from his opening-day loss with a smashing win over highly regarded Fabiano Caruana in the second round of the Dortmund Sparkassen chess championship in Dortmund, Germany.

The 21-year-old So came through with the precise moves in a rook, pawn and minor pieces endgame to prevail over his potential U.S. teammate and rival.

So’s connected pawns on the kingside decided the issue, with Caruana failing to prevent the pawn advance with his knight and bishop.

“Exciting game with a lot of action from both sides,” said Chessbomb.com analyst Alexander Dechev. ” If So continues to play like that, he has very good chances to win the tournament.”

Dechev, a grandmaster, had a very technical analysis of the game on the Chessbomb.com website, pointing out that Caruana had several chances to pull out a draw and even had potentially winning lines.

In the end, So appeared more prepared in the complicated game that eventually settled into a Sicilian and ended after 69 moves.

The victory somehow erased concerns over So’s preparation and fitness to play against some of the world’s best after a disastrous first game, which he lost to Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu.

Nisipeanu, a former Romanian No. 1, now playing for Germany, is respected for his creative games and is now leading the tournament with two points after his second straight victory against Arkadij Naiditsch of Germany.

Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik also recovered from his first-round loss with a quick 28-move win over female grandmaster Hou Yifan of China. He now shares a crowded tie for second with So and four other players, each with one point in two games.

The moves:

Caruana vs. So

1. Nf3 c5 2. e4 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nde2 b5 8. g4 b4
2. Nd5 Nxd5 10. exd5 h5 11. gxh5 Rxh5 12. a3bxa3 13. Rxa3 Nd7 14. Bg2 Nf6
3. O-O Rb8 16. f4 Be7 17. c4 Qb6+ 18. Rf2 Rh4 19. Rc3 Bd7 20. b3 Bxh3
4. Bxh3 Ne4 22. Qe1 Nxc3 23. Qxc3 Qxb3 24. Qxb3 Rxb3 25. Bc8 e4
5. Bxa6 Bd8 27. c5 dxc5 28. Rg2 g6 29. Rg3 Rxg3+ 30. Nxg3 Rg4 31. Kh2 f5
6. Ne Rh4+ 33. Kg2 Bc7 34. Bc8 Kd8 35. Be6 Ke7 36. Be3 Bd6 37. Bf2 Rh8

38 Be1 c4 39. Bc3 Ra8 40. Be5 Ra2 41. Kf1 Rd2 42. Bc3 Rd3 43. Ba5 Ba3

4. Bg8 Bd6 45. Be6 Bc5 46. Ke1 Rb3 47. Kd2 Rb2+ 48. Kd1 Bb4 49. Bxb4+ Rxb4
5. Kc2 Rb3 51. Nc3 e3 52. Bg8 Rb6 53. Ne2 Ra6 54. d6+ Rxd6
6. Bxc4 Kf6 56. Bd3 g5 57. fxg5+ Kxg5 58. Ng3 Rc6+ 59. Kd1 f4 60. Nf1 Rb6
7. Nh2 Kh4 62. Ke1 Kg3 63. Nf1+ Kf3 64. Nh2+ Kg2 65. Nf1 Re6 66. Bc4 Re5
8. Ba6 Ra5 68. Bb7+ Kg1 69. Nxe3 Re5 0-1

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TAGS: Fabiano Caruana, Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu, professional chess, Vladimir Kramnik, Wesley So