philippine chess: Wesley So or Eugene Torre?

[voltaire]

To all those who follow Philippine chess for the past years, we are all aware with the exploits of the 16 year-old GM Wesley So (Elo 2665) in the international chess scene esp in the Worl Chess Championship last year in Siberia when he barged into the last 16 by mowing down chess greats such as GM Ivanchuck and GM Kamsky in mini-matches.

And we all know, Eugene Torre, the perennial top board for the Philippine Chess Olympiad Team for more than 20 years and was once a player in the Candidate's Matches for the FIDE World Championship.

So, i want your opinion - who is the better player in terms of achievement-

GM Wesley So
or
GM Eugene Torre?

[isplongplong]

in terms of achievements... shempre si Torre dahil sa tagal nya na sa sport. Pero kung sa skills, baka si So.

[elitedarkangel]

Let them have their clash for us to know. They are both good and talented.

[pooch]

in terms of achievements... shempre si Torre dahil sa tagal nya na sa sport. Pero kung sa skills, baka si So.

agree and I cannot add anything more.

ang isang napapansin ko kay GM wesley, mas agresibo siya kesa sa beteranong si manong torre. si Manong torre, ala Karpov ba..tipong dahan-dahan..tipong uunti-untiing palakihin ang isang maliit na butas at advantage hanggang sa ma-overwhelm ang kalaban.. pero si GM wesley, siguro kasi nasa early years pa siya, mas mapusok at mas exciting ang laban..parang umaapoy ang gitna ng chessboard.

naks,


Pooch

[voltaire]

agree and I cannot add anything more.

ang isang napapansin ko kay GM wesley, mas agresibo siya kesa sa beteranong si manong torre. si Manong torre, ala Karpov ba..tipong dahan-dahan..tipong uunti-untiing palakihin ang isang maliit na butas at advantage hanggang sa ma-overwhelm ang kalaban.. pero si GM wesley, siguro kasi nasa early years pa siya, mas mapusok at mas exciting ang laban..parang umaapoy ang gitna ng chessboard.

naks,


Pooch

You're right attacking play nga gusto ni Wesley especially pag nag-e4 opening sya.Pero nitong last tournamnets nya especially sa Corus Tournament and Aeroflot Open, very positional ang style nya, galing dumepensa! Ganda result nya on both tournaments!

[pooch]

may link ka ba brad ng move list ng isang sample game ng tournament na sinalihan niya?

minsan gusto ko rin yung ganung style..yung mahinahon at patient ba na talagang pipigain mo yung kalaban mong hindi naman nagkakamali ng malaki pero nagmomove ng inferior moves...tapos dahan-dahan mong inaagaw sa kanya yung posisyon...and not unless gumawa siya ng complication eh tuloy-tuloy na sa hukay ang kalalabasan niya.

si manong torre, paborito pa rin ba niya magpahanggang ngayon ang Pirc?


Pooch

[voltaire]

Try ko mag-post ng link pero di pa pala ako pwede,

Check mo na lang pre ung chess profile ni Wesley sa chessgames dot com, dami sya games dun, annotated pa!


Ah oo, pet opening ni Torre yung Pirc with the black pieces along with KID

[reno_of_the_turks]

agree and I cannot add anything more.

ang isang napapansin ko kay GM wesley, mas agresibo siya kesa sa beteranong si manong torre. si Manong torre, ala Karpov ba..tipong dahan-dahan..tipong uunti-untiing palakihin ang isang maliit na butas at advantage hanggang sa ma-overwhelm ang kalaban.. pero si GM wesley, siguro kasi nasa early years pa siya, mas mapusok at mas exciting ang laban..parang umaapoy ang gitna ng chessboard.

naks,


Pooch

Actually there is a gm who told before that Wesley's play reminds him of a young Karpov. Which is a big compliment, hehehe. Cause Karpov is legendary. Pooch check mo ung Karpov vs Unzicker Ruy Lopez game, lupit ng ginawa ni Karpov dun, buong game naka park lang ang bishop nya sa h7, para ma restrict piece movement ng kalaban nya, it's a positional masterpiece.

Anatoli Karpov vs Wolfgang Unzicker (1974)


I think, sa achievement mas lamang pa si Eugene sa ngaun.

[voltaire]

Actually there is a gm who told before that Wesley's play reminds him of a young Karpov. Which is a big compliment, hehehe. Cause Karpov is legendary. Pooch check mo ung Karpov vs Unzicker Ruy Lopez game, lupit ng ginawa ni Karpov dun, buong game naka park lang ang bishop nya sa h7, para ma restrict piece movement ng kalaban nya, it's a positional masterpiece.

"A young Karpov" is a very apt description of GM Wesley's on-board play nowadays.
GM Vladimir Kramnik, in a recent interview, actually named GM Wesley So as a future contender for the FIDE World Championship.
That actually sums up the present standing of GM Wesley in the international chess scene. Sana magtuloy-tuloy na ito

But in terms of achievement, siyempre angat pa rin si GM Torre.

[pooch]

Actually there is a gm who told before that Wesley's play reminds him of a young Karpov. Which is a big compliment, hehehe. Cause Karpov is legendary. Pooch check mo ung Karpov vs Unzicker Ruy Lopez game, lupit ng ginawa ni Karpov dun, buong game naka park lang ang bishop nya sa h7, para ma restrict piece movement ng kalaban nya, it's a positional masterpiece.

Anatoli Karpov vs Wolfgang Unzicker (1974)


I think, sa achievement mas lamang pa si Eugene sa ngaun.

antindi nung bishop sa a7! phew! dinikdik talagang pinung-pino..di pinahinga! perfect example!


Pooch

[reno_of_the_turks]

Up ko lang to, nagbago na style ni Wesley So. He more positional now..He prefers to open with 1.d4. Actually, in top level chess 1.d4 is being played more now..

But when you play 1.d4 it does not mean you are not an aggressive player, there many complicated tactical variations in 1.d4(botvinnik system,semi slav, shabalov attack etc), but Wesley is using 1.d4 in more positional sense...

[voltaire]

Today is another milestone for Philippine Chess.
GM Wesley So has just breached the ELO 2700 mark by beating GM Marcin Sziuba via a stunning checkmate in their Caro-Cann encounter at the ongoing Reykjavik Open making him the first and only Filipino to join the elite Hyper GM 2700 Club

Tomorrow is the last round of the tournament and Wesley will be gunning for the championship on board 1 against GM Pavel Eljanov.

For those who want to see the game tommorow, you can watch the live feed here 8:00 pm Manila time.

[frango]

I hope Wesley So succeeds. I know Torre. What is he doing now?

[voltaire]

I hope Wesley So succeeds. I know Torre. What is he doing now?

The last thing I heard, GM Torre is now holding a FIDE Senior Trainer title. He will be conducting a chess training seminar in Manila this March together with a a foreign-based GM.

BTW, GM So offered a quick 3-move draw against GM Eljanov in the recently concluded Reykjavik Open to share the top prize along with Egyptian GM Bassem Amin.

Welcome to the 2700 club, Wes!

[reno_of_the_turks]

2700 na si Wes, next goal, sana makapasok siya sa top 20 players in the world.