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Great to see you back Danny - hope you've had a very relaxing and enjoyable channel break! You've earned it! Good match to come back on too. Dispelling the "Wesley is solid/defensive" myth with this absolute gem. Real shame for Shankland after he'd fought so magnificently, one of those freak events that happens in chess I guess. What do you make of Team England so far? David Howell's been having a great tournament though perhaps benefitting from being one of the strongest board 3 players. I was really hoping we'd medal but after today's result against Brazil I think that might be our hopes dashed sadly.
So is a money player. He always plays well when there's money on the line. This comment did not suit this tournament either, as the Olympiad is played for honor rather than money, but it's a fact, I've observed So throughout the years always seems to make good coin from chess, such as it is, with the meagre pickings available from chess prizes.
@@alpay3300 No, I think So was confident Melkumyan would play natural moves as It's not a very easy move to find over the board. So has a reputation for being solid, but even when he plays speculatively it feels pragmatic and "well thought out" if that makes sense.
Pragmatically, 18 Bh6 is the best move selected against this particular opponent today. Wesley rightly factored the strong likelihood of his opponent falling into this well-disguised brilliant trap. Well-concealed intent as GM Svidler said in his commentaries earlier today when So presented Melkumyan with the "seemingly straight forward" plan of playing 19 Nxe4. Obviously, Melkumyan already considered, when he played 17... e5, that if Wesley played 18 Bh6, setting up scarifying a knight for 2 pawns the next move to be slightly favorable for Melkumyan, who spent over 7 minutes at move 17 on these likely variations. So when So, after spending 11 minutes before playing 18 Bh6, Melkumyan said to himself "well well well - just as I calculated!". Without double-checking again, after only 1 minute of considering, Melkumyan quickly played 18...e4. (probably slightly complacent, saying to himself "all right, hit me with Nxe4..I am quite ready for it). A little stunned and shell-shocked when his opponent Wesley responded with 19 Rxe4 after spending only 1 minute before making the move. Both parties did follow similar time allocation patterns, at least within the framework of the afore-said moves.
I am only a lowly national master, but I have to admit I was shocked that Melkumyan played 18...e4 as quickly as he did. My thought process would be, considering your opponent is Wesley So, do you really think he would just sac a piece for two pawns, especially when it's totally unnecessary and the compensation is pretty nebulous? I know that sometimes in chess you need to "not believe your opponent" and punish their mistakes, but if Wesley So were really saccing a piece like that, it would seem like a very strange misjudgment. From there I would think maybe there's another move I've missed. But I also acknowledge it's a high stress tournament with a lot on the line and there's nerves, pressure, and so on. Still, I feel like it's an uncharacteristic blunder for a player at their level.
Bluffing is part of chess. The bh6 was a subtle trap, a bluff if you will. Wesley used a tricky Queen sac against Aryan Tari in the Norwegian tournament. Wesley actually adnitted it was a pure bluff in a blitz game, not a sound move, in the interview room . But Tari and the Uzbekistan player failed to call the bluff. Fischer said he did not believe in psychology. He believed in good moves. Strange, elite players fall for bluffs.
The opening looked not just like a caro-cann exchange variation but also a bit like a Jobava/Rapport London system with an odd Rd1 tossed in. Devilish idea by So, shows you should always thick twice when your opponents "makes a mistake".
Caruana´s tumbling down even more, already having a live rating in the 2750´s. The no. 2 in the world and no. 1 in the US status are clear things of the past at this point.
Remarkable that a 2635 rated GM didn't see So's Qxf7+ coming (after Rxe4). After that, Rf4 was the top-GM way to finish the game off. Don't stabilize but escalate! Very nice.
Impressive calculation from Wesley, despite the Bf8 oversight by black. It's ok when the "big thinks" are justified. Unpopular opinion: Besides Shankland, the U.S. doesn't have a single player that actually learned their craft (pre-GM) while being a US citizen. Hard to take it seriously in my view.
@@PowerPlayChess On this point we disagree Danny. Anyone can buy a team after the finished articles have been produced - much like the top teams in European football. It doesn't speak to the development program of that country.
@@thishex I agree - people moving for political or social reasons is one thing, but it really feels like America have just 'bought" success. I can take Caruana moving back, but Aronian?! In some ways you can hardly blame him personally - guess he's being paid a lot and has a comfortable life over there - but forgive me if it exactly doesn't' make me want to root for their team.
Sam, poor Sam. Could you just say “Adjust” or do you have to say “adjust” first before touching or grasping your piece? I don’t know if Robert would have objected. It’s an obvious slip. Or could he have offered a draw after grasping the piece. What do the rules say? This was a drawn game by all accounts. Only Magnus would have been a gentleman?
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Great to see you back Danny - hope you've had a very relaxing and enjoyable channel break! You've earned it!
Good match to come back on too. Dispelling the "Wesley is solid/defensive" myth with this absolute gem. Real shame for Shankland after he'd fought so magnificently, one of those freak events that happens in chess I guess.
What do you make of Team England so far? David Howell's been having a great tournament though perhaps benefitting from being one of the strongest board 3 players. I was really hoping we'd medal but after today's result against Brazil I think that might be our hopes dashed sadly.
Powerplay to 100k!!!
Mr. King, are you considering some videos on Gukesh? It would be great to see his games through your eyes.
A very clever trap from So. Thanks Daniel and keep up the good work.
Wesley is my favorite player. He's got the best attitude and just tries to play the objectively best moves
That comment certainly does not suit this game, as Wesley's trap was actually a bad move if Black had found Bf8! after Bh6.
@@alpay3300 I guess so, if wesley knew that position was worse
So is a money player. He always plays well when there's money on the line. This comment did not suit this tournament either, as the Olympiad is played for honor rather than money, but it's a fact, I've observed So throughout the years always seems to make good coin from chess, such as it is, with the meagre pickings available from chess prizes.
@@alpay3300 well His opponent is not Stockfish...
@@alpay3300 No, I think So was confident Melkumyan would play natural moves as It's not a very easy move to find over the board. So has a reputation for being solid, but even when he plays speculatively it feels pragmatic and "well thought out" if that makes sense.
Pragmatically, 18 Bh6 is the best move selected against this particular opponent today. Wesley rightly factored the strong likelihood of his opponent falling into this well-disguised brilliant trap. Well-concealed intent as GM Svidler said in his commentaries earlier today when So presented Melkumyan with the "seemingly straight forward" plan of playing 19 Nxe4.
Obviously, Melkumyan already considered, when he played 17... e5, that if Wesley played 18 Bh6, setting up scarifying a knight for 2 pawns the next move to be slightly favorable for Melkumyan, who spent over 7 minutes at move 17 on these likely variations.
So when So, after spending 11 minutes before playing 18 Bh6, Melkumyan said to himself "well well well - just as I calculated!". Without double-checking again, after only 1 minute of considering, Melkumyan quickly played 18...e4. (probably slightly complacent, saying to himself "all right, hit me with Nxe4..I am quite ready for it).
A little stunned and shell-shocked when his opponent Wesley responded with 19 Rxe4 after spending only 1 minute before making the move.
Both parties did follow similar time allocation patterns, at least within the framework of the afore-said moves.
I am only a lowly national master, but I have to admit I was shocked that Melkumyan played 18...e4 as quickly as he did. My thought process would be, considering your opponent is Wesley So, do you really think he would just sac a piece for two pawns, especially when it's totally unnecessary and the compensation is pretty nebulous? I know that sometimes in chess you need to "not believe your opponent" and punish their mistakes, but if Wesley So were really saccing a piece like that, it would seem like a very strange misjudgment. From there I would think maybe there's another move I've missed. But I also acknowledge it's a high stress tournament with a lot on the line and there's nerves, pressure, and so on. Still, I feel like it's an uncharacteristic blunder for a player at their level.
Thanks Daniel. Hope you had a great holiday, nice to see you back! Your stand in was also very good. Cheers
Wonderful Daniel ty. Touch move!
Wesley is like a Monster in sheep clothing when playing chess
Bluffing is part of chess. The bh6 was a subtle trap, a bluff if you will. Wesley used a tricky Queen sac against Aryan Tari in the Norwegian tournament. Wesley actually adnitted it was a pure bluff in a blitz game, not a sound move, in the interview room . But Tari and the Uzbekistan player failed to call the bluff. Fischer said he did not believe in psychology. He believed in good moves. Strange, elite players fall for bluffs.
The American team snatched a draw from the jaws of victory in this match.
Insane move by Wesley!
That was a real twist at the end!
Brilliant of Wesley in the heat of the central battle to notice that the king was weak and poorly defended. Nice attack
Great analysis of a very entertaining game. Love the concept by So for this mate possibility.
Genial partida,gracias Power play chess,Saludos.
The opening looked not just like a caro-cann exchange variation but also a bit like a Jobava/Rapport London system with an odd Rd1 tossed in.
Devilish idea by So, shows you should always thick twice when your opponents "makes a mistake".
I have seen Wesley so many games where he sacrificed queens
Caruana´s tumbling down even more, already having a live rating in the 2750´s.
The no. 2 in the world and no. 1 in the US status are clear things of the past at this point.
Hello Daniel
You should also mention Oliwia Kiolbasa from Poland also having 7/7
Good morning, from South Africa, could Sam survive after that Qg2?
Good thing Sam Shankland didn't do the same as Milan Matulovic (who retracted a blunder and then said j'adoube.)
It's a different age: cameras everywhere now, so this kind of cheating is simply impossible. (Not that Sam would ever contemplate such a thing).
Sharp moves from Wesley.
What I like about Wesley is if you give him the chance to play the endgame with pawns and one or two major pieces he will tear you apart till the end
A diabolical trap!
8/8 from pH team ithink
Wesley very genius.
Was So's trap prep or did he find it over the board?
Over the board according to Agadmator
It is just a humongous game by Wesley!
Shame it was unsound. If Wesley So in the opening, gave me an obvious pawn fork, I'd spend one hour trying to figure out why before declining it. :)
Remarkable that a 2635 rated GM didn't see So's Qxf7+ coming (after Rxe4). After that, Rf4 was the top-GM way to finish the game off. Don't stabilize but escalate! Very nice.
A so So trap 🪤?
What an amazing tactic! When a 2750+ offers you free material you don’t take it without calculating EVERYTHING surely ha
What is So said "oops!" and blushed after playing the trappy move? That would be quite a cheeky gambit!
Impressive calculation from Wesley, despite the Bf8 oversight by black. It's ok when the "big thinks" are justified. Unpopular opinion: Besides Shankland, the U.S. doesn't have a single player that actually learned their craft (pre-GM) while being a US citizen. Hard to take it seriously in my view.
People move between borders for many different reasons. Always have done, always will. The USA is hardly the only team with such a make up of players.
@@PowerPlayChess On this point we disagree Danny. Anyone can buy a team after the finished articles have been produced - much like the top teams in European football. It doesn't speak to the development program of that country.
@@thishex I agree - people moving for political or social reasons is one thing, but it really feels like America have just 'bought" success. I can take Caruana moving back, but Aronian?! In some ways you can hardly blame him personally - guess he's being paid a lot and has a comfortable life over there - but forgive me if it exactly doesn't' make me want to root for their team.
Caruana in 100% American
@@flukey111 Caruana was born in the US, from American father, he's 100% American and belongs to US team
What a nice trap
Brilliant
Nice
Good game
High contempt setting
Sam, poor Sam. Could you just say “Adjust” or do you have to say “adjust” first before touching or grasping your piece? I don’t know if Robert would have objected. It’s an obvious slip. Or could he have offered a draw after grasping the piece. What do the rules say? This was a drawn game by all accounts. Only Magnus would have been a gentleman?
No getting out of this one: he can only blame himself. Check out the video on Twitter.
Thats wash a nasty trick! I doubt, however, if the devout Christian So likes to be depicted as a devil.