So draws with Hou, stays 4th in AAI chess tournament

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So found women’s world champion GM Hou Yifan of China a formidable foe and settled for another draw in the fifth round of the AAI [Airports Authority of India]) Grandmasters Chess Tournament in New Delhi on Sunday.

Unable to gain headway with the black pieces, So agreed to split the point with the 17-year-old Hou after 52 moves of the Vienna Opening and climbed to 2.5 points.

It was the third straight draw for So, who got going in the elite tournament with a win over Indian GM Krishan Sasikiran followed by a loss to Czech GM Viktor Laznicka.

When the draw was agreed, So had a rook, knight and three pawns. The Chinese—the youngest ever world chess champion when she achieved that distinction last year—had a rook, white bishop and three pawns.

So, sent to New Delhi by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., trailed top-seeded GM Fabiano Caruana of Italy by 1.5 points heading into the second half of the double round robin tournament among just six players.
Caruana drew with Laznicka, who stood second with 3.5 points, to rise to 4.0 points.

Sasikiran trounced compatriot GM Parimarjan Negi in 56 moves of the Ruy Lopez.

Monday was a rest day. The sixth round will be played on Tuesday with So seeking a repeat over Sasikiran.

Other matches pit Negi against Caruana and Laznicka against Hou in the Category 17 event that dangles a total cash prize of $24,500. The champion gets $8,000.