So Continues Winning Run

Featuring the country's top 12 men and women, The Philippines' Battle of the Grandmasters tournament opened last Friday and will finish this week on 3 May. After three games, Wesley So is continuing his amazing run of fine performances by leading outright on 3 points. On the women's side, Shercila Cua, sister of recent Sydney visitor Sherily, leads with a similar score.

Last Saturday, Wesley downed local legend GM Antonio in their second round duel over Antonio's fave Caro Kann system.

Battle of Grandmasters
So, Wesley
Antonio, Rogelio Jr
B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 (11. Bd2 Ngf6 12. O-O-O Be7 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qe2 Qd5 16. c4 Qe4 17. Qxe4 Nxe4 18. Be3 {1/2-1/2 Megaranto,S (2551)-Antonio,R (2539)/Cebu City PHI 2007/The Week in Chess 673}) 11... Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. O-O-O Ngf6 14. Ne4 O-O-O 15. g3 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nf6 17. Qe2 Bd6 18. c4 c5 19. Bc3 cxd4 20. Nxd4 a6 21. Kb1 Rd7 22. Rc1 Kb8 23. Nb3 Qc6 24. c5 Bc7 25. Rh4 Rhd8 26. Rc4 Rd3 (26... Ka8 27. Ka1 e5 28. Bxe5 Bxe5 29. Qxe5 Rd1 30. a3 Qf3 31. Ka2 Rxc1 32. Rxc1 Qd5 33. Qc7 Qd7 34. Qa5 Rc8 35. Rc4 Qe6 36. Rd4 Ne4 37. Rd8 g6 38. Qc7 Rxd8 39. Qxd8+ Ka7 40. Qd4 Kb8 41. Qh8+ Ka7 42. Qxh6 gxh5 43. Qxh5 Nxf2 44. c6 Qxc6 45. Qxf7 Nd3 46. Qg7 Nb4+ 47. axb4 Qa4+ 48. Kb1 Qxb3 49. Qd4+ Ka8 50. g4 Qe6 51. Qf4 Qd7 52. Kc2 Qc6+ 53. Kd3 Qd5+ 54. Kc3 Qc6+ 55. Kd4 Qg2 56. g5 Qxb2+ 57. Kd5 a5 58. Qf6 {1/2-1/2 Kotronias, V (2572) - Jobava, B (2650) /Moscow RUS 2007/The Week in Chess 641}) 27. Nd4 Qe4 28. Qxe4 Nxe4 29. Kc2 Nxf2 30. Rf1 Bxg3 31. c6 Rd6 32. Ne2 Nd1 33. Rxd1 Rxd1 34. Nxg3 b5 35. Rc5 Kc8 36. Ne4 R6d5 37. Bxg7 R1d2+ 38. Kb3 R2d3+ 39. Kb4 R3d4+ 40. Bxd4 Rxd4+ 41. Ka5 Rxe4 42. Kb6 f5 43. Rc3 e5 44. Rc5 f4 45. Rc1

After 45. Rc1

45...Rc4 46. Rg1 Kd8 47. b3 Rc2 48. Rg7 Ke8 49. Rg6 Ke7 50. c7 Rxc7 51. Kxc7 f3 52. Rg3 e4 53. Rg4 Kf6 54. Rxe4 Kg5 55. Re5+ 1-0