The 2016 US Championship bills itself as the strongest in history. This may not be quite true, but it certainly has the highest average rating of any, primarily due to the participation of the Big Three: Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Wesley So. Of the three, So is perhaps the least well known. He is 22 and from the Philippines. He changed his federation to the United States in 2014 and was a student at Webster University but dropped out to become a professional.
His first US Championship in 2015 was a bit of disaster. He finished in third, losing four games, one even by forfeit (against Varuzhan Akobian, the same player as in today’s game) for making notes during the game, even though he had been warned several times not to do so. This is a new year, however, and he is in very good form. Besides today’s game, he had a fine win against Gata Kamsky and is very much in the running after six rounds.
2016 US Championship, St. Louis
Wesley So (2773) — Varuzhan Akobian (2615)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 A solid if somewhat dull line for Black. 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.c3 c5 8.Be3 cxd4 9.Bxd4 Be7 10.Bd3 0–0 11.Qc2 h6 12.0–0–0 It seems that without much effort White has a very attractive attacking position. Black will have to be very careful to avoid the worse here. 12...Qa5 13.Kb1 Rd8 I wonder about this move as it weakens f7 but my idea of 13…Bd7 right away loses to 14.Bxf6 Ba4 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.Bxe7 Bxc2+ 17.Bxc2 Rfe8 18.Bd6 which the computer feels is a winning position for White. 14.Ne5 Bd7 15.Qe2 Seems to be a novelty.I keep waiting for Rhg1 and g4, g5 but white has a different idea. He plans to take on f7 and then Qxe6+ at some point in the not too distant future 15...Bc6 The safer 15…Bc8 is too passive, giving White his way on the kingside with 16.g5 and 17.h4 16.Rhe1 again targeting e6 via Nxf7. 16...Bd5 The computer must feel that Black is in some trouble as it also suggests the somewhat radical 16…Rxd4 as another try. The crazy 16...Bxg2 should end losing to 17.Ng6! fxg6 (17…Bc5 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nf4 Bc6 20.Rg1+ should win as 20…Kh1 loses to 21.Qh5 and 20…Kf8 to 21.Nxe6+ fxe6 22.Qxe6 with mate on g8 coming.) 18.Qxe6+ Kh7 19.Qxe7 with a big advantage 17.c4 Bxg2 Seems very self-destructive but after the retreat 17...Bc6 White has 18.Nxf7! Rxd4 19.Qxe6 (threatening mate in 3 starting with 19. Nxh6+) and now after the forced 19…Rxd3 20.Rxd3 White is winning. 18.Bc3 Qb6 At first I thought that18...Bb4 might hold but after 19.Nxf7 Kxf7 (19...Rxd3 20.Nxh6+) 20.Qxe6+ Kf8 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Qxf6+ Kg8 23.Qg6+ Kf8 24.Qxh6+ Kf7 25.Bg6+ Kf6 26.Bh5+ Kf5 27.Qg6+ Kf4 28.Qg4# I realized it didn’t. 19.Rg1 Bc6 20.Nxf7! Unexpected as Qe6+ is not possible but White has seen a wrinkle. 20...Kxf7 21.Rxg7+! The “Wrinkle!’’ 21...Kxg7 22.Qxe6 Not a check but Black seems defenseless even though he is up a piece and a rook! 22...Qxf2 Desperation but after ...22...Re8 23.Qf5 Kf8 24.Bxf6 Bd7 25.Bxe7+ Kxe7 26.Qh7+ Kf8 27.Bg6 with a clear advantage for White; or 22...Rxd3 23.Qxe7+ Kg8 24.Rg1+; or 22...Kf8 23.Bxf6 Rd7 24.Rg1 and the lights go out for Black. 23.Qxe7+ Kg8 24.Bh7+! And Black will only have a bishop left after 24…Kh8 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.Bxf6+ Qxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kxh7 and 28.Qxd8 and this is not enough to continue; 1–0
