So keeps solo lead in Cuba chessfest

CEBU, Philippines - Wesley So agreed to a 20-move draw with Spain's Francisco Vallejo Pons in a rare line of a Ruy Lopez game to keep the solo lead with 4.5 points after seven rounds of the Capablanca Memorial 2014 at the Habana Riviera in La Havana, Cuba yesterday.

Playing black for the second straight game, the 20-year-old So engaged Vallejo in a series of exchanges involving their queens and several minor pieces and when the tactical smoke of battle dissipated, the former offered the truce that the latter accepted.

The draw enabled So to remain at the helm with 4.5 points, half a point ahead of top seed Leinier Dominguez Perez of Cuba with 4.0 points.

Dominguez, the highest rated player here being World No. 10 with 2768, split the point with defending champion Zoltan Almasi of Hungary in 38 moves of the Ruy Lopez Berlin in this 11-day tournament being used to give tribute to the late former Cuban world champion Jose Raul Capablanca.

Former world challenger Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, a six-time winner of this annual event, and Cuban Lazaro Bruzon Batista also had a quick, 17-move deadlock of a Nimzo-Indian encounter.

The Webster U standout will face Dominguez, whom the former fought to a standoff in their first round meeting, in today's eighth round.

So is three rounds away from posting his first tournament victory of the year and he will do it at the expense of this field consisting of former champions Ivanchuk (six-time winner), Dominguez (thrice), Almasi, Vallejo and Almasi, who won here at least once.— Philippine STAR News Service