Wesley remains joint leader, trips Canadian

MANILA, Philippines - GM Wesley So outplayed FIDE Master Alex Yam of Canada in a Caro Kann encounter to remain tied for the lead with Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk with 4.5 points after five rounds in the ninth Edmonton Chess Festival in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada yesterday.

So, 20, traded his bishops for knights to open up Yam’s kingside then pounded his rival with combinations to set up a mating net, forcing the Canadian to resign on the 43rd.

 Ivanchuk dismantled Canadian FM Vladimir Pechenkin’s French Defense in 34 moves to keep abreast with So halfway through the tournament.

Meanwhile, GM Eugene Torre  played the rare Trompovsky Opening and carved out a 48-move victory over Woman FM Janelle Mae Frayna to regain the solo lead with 17 points in the qualifier for the World Chess Olympiad at the PSC venue.

Half a point behind is veteran GM John Paul Gomez, who split the point with GM Joey Antonio in 31 moves of a Bogo-Indian, while Frayna dropped to joint fifth with IM Oliver Dimakiling at 13.5 points.

Youthful IMs Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Paulo Bersamina shared third spot at 15 points with the former halving the point with GM Darwin Laylo in 31 moves of a Slav Defense and the latter trouncing GM Banjo Barcenilla in a marathon 91-mover of a King’s Indian Panno Variation.

The top two finishers in the 11-round event will clinch the last two berths in the Phl team seeing action in the Olympiad set Aug. 1 to 15 in Tromso, Norway. 

So, who has signified his plans to switch federations, has been seeded into the squad along with GMs Julio Catalino Sadorra and Oliver Barbosa.