Wesley So’s Costly Misevaluation
A top story of the second day of round two at the 2025 Chess World Cup was that 5th-seed Wesley So resigned in an equal position, thus exiting the tournament early. It is not unheard of, but is always a shock when it happens, as nobody expects one of the best players in the world to make such a costly misevaluation.
So had not had a lot of fun throughout the game. As Black, he played a near-novelty 7. …Qb6!?, and took the tough end of a Queen’s Gambit Declined position. The opening surprise did not work as intended, and he slowly watched his position deteriorate. Eventually, a sequence of exchanges left him down a piece for two pawns, and his opponent, Titas Stremavičius, with good winning chances.
But White strayed by allowing a queen trade, leaving it as bishop and three pawns vs. five pawns, which evaluated as equal until So made a return blunder by advancing his pawns too hastily. The climax approached, when White elected to freeze the queenside pawns on move 70; the evaluation fell back to equal, because endgames are notorious for seemingly innocent moves having drastic consequences.
Finally, the finish. White’s final move was 72. Ke4-e3, resulting in Black’s resignation.
It is hard to do the position full justice. Black would have seen their pawns blockaded, and that 72. …Kh4 73. Kf4 forces the black king to abandon the pawns, or for them to be jettisoned. Well, that would be correct: 73. …h8=Q! 74. Bxh1 Kh3! (D).
If the g-pawn is lost, White wins easily on the queenside, for example 75. Kf3 Kh4?? 76. Bg2 and Kxg3. Black would instead continue 75. Kf3 Kh2, forcing 76. Bg2, and then 76. …Kg1 (D) is the only legal move.
But now, 77. Kxg3 is stalemate! Remember how White chose to fix all the a- and b-pawns? And, 77. Bh3 Kh2 forces a repetition like 78. Bf1 Kg1 79. Bd3 Kh2! 80. Bf1 Kg1, because White can never allow …g2 and promotion.
Returning to the first position, maybe White tries 72. …Kh4 73. Kf3. The same 73. …h1=Q! 74. Bxh1 Kh3! (D) reaches nearly the same place.
If not Bg2+, White may rush towards the queenside, beginning 75. Ke3 g2 76. Bxg2+ Kxg2, but the black king will not be far behind, and soon the following position would be reached.
Black will capture the b3-pawn, and the two remaining pawns will promote simultaneously.
Anish Giri was, naturally, one to comment on Twitter: “Insane position. Never seen anything like this.” You can review the game, and watch tomorrow’s round two tiebreaks, on Lichess.
Photo by Michal Walusza
