Dubai Open champion Wesley So lived up to his lofty billing by beating Grandmaster-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra at the start of the 2008 "Battle of GMs" chess championship at the 11th floor, Bayside Hall, City State Hotel in Mabini Ave. cor Padre Faura, Manila.
Less than two weeks after ruling the rich tournament in United Arab Emirates and winning his "One-on-One Duel" with GM Susanto Megaranto in Jakarta, Indonesia, So humbled Sadorra in 36 moves of the Nimzo Indian.
The 14-year-old Filipino, who now holds the distinction as the world’s youngest GM, upstaged the Singapore-based Sadorra despite playing with the black pieces.
So sacrificed a pawn in the middle game to gain the initiative. Sadorra fell to the bait and So made him pay dearly for it.
With So’s knight proving to be unstoppable, Sadorra was forced to resign.
"Complicated ‘yung middle game namin," said So after the match. "Mas pinili ko na ‘yung magbigay ng pawn para makapag-create ng atake."
The sophomore student at St. Francis of Assisi in Bacoor, Cavite was the first player to notch a full point in the FIDE rated tournament.
Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and brand-new GM Jayson Gonzales agreed to split the point in the other featured encounter.
Gonzales, playing with white, appeared to be on his way to victory with solid center pawns. But Torre managed to force a repetition of moves, leading to a draw after 32 pushes.
The rest of the matches in the 12-player, 11-round event supported by PAGCOR and City State Hotel were still being played as of presstime.
In women’s division, WNM Shercila Cua upset Asian Games campaigner Jedara Docena in 20 moves of Queen’s Pawn Game and WNM Aices Salvador toppled WNM Cristy Lamiel Bernales after 22 moves of French.
Other women’s matches are also still being played as of presstime.
Earlier, So and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William "Butch" Ramirez made the ceremonial moves during the brief opening ceremony.
Also present during the ceremony were National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay and NCFP officials Val Rosabal, Red Dumuk and Willie Abalos and IM Rodolfo Tan Cardoso.
Games will be held daily from 2 p.m. Two rounds, however, will be played on Monday and Thursday starting at 9 a.m.
At stake in the unique, 11-round tournament supported by PAGCOR and City State Hotel are cash prizes with the men’s champion getting P200,000 and the women’s titlist earning P50,000.
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