Wesley salvages win, draw to tie from 4th-18th in Turkey

By Florencio Campomanes

08/06/2008

GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Our Wesley So gained one-and-a-half points from the 2008 World Junior Open’s two-round schedule on Monday to place fourth to 18th and tied at with 15 other bets from different countries here.

The three leaders are Grandmasters Amin Bassem of Egypt with 2561 rating points; Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan (2527); and ?nternational Master Tornike Sanikidze of Georgia (2486).

In the morning, Wesley could only manage a 36-move draw with Indian International Master Sengupta Deep (2454) following a complicated midgame coming from a Sicilian Defense (Shevisnikov Variant) with So playing the black pieces.

So missed possible winning chances on his 27th turn. With a pawn down but with better position and major pieces still on the board, the Bacoor, Cavite lad agreed to halve the point on the 37th move.

In the evening, he beat Hungarian International Master Denis Boros (2454), who essayed a Philidor Defense.

Midgame, Wesley harvested three boros pawns, forcing the Hungarian to resign after four hours of play on the 50th.

In the second round, an unlucky Haridas Pascua, no match to Russian Grandmaster Dimitry Andreikin and his King’s Indian Defense, lost on the 55th. move.

Avoiding a total zilch, Pascua with black, redeemed himself with a quickle Sicilian Defense win over Vural Orge for his first point.

On Tuesday, round four, So, with black, faces Mexican Grandmaster Manuel Leon Hoyos (2453).

Pascua confronts Slovakian Fide Master Milan Pacher (2361).

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