RP'S SO GRABS SOLO LEAD IN WORLD JR. CHESS

INTERNATIONAL MASTER Wesley So of the Philippines and Woman International Master Vera Nebolsina of Russia grabs the solo leadership in their respective brackets after the fifth round of the 2007 World Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the T. Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan , Armenia, on Sunday.

The No.13 seed So, who celebrated his 14th birthday today toppled No.15 GM David Howell of England to raise his total to 4.5 points in the Boy's 20 and under class of this FIDE 13 round Swiss-system tournament.

So, using the white pieces showed his mastery in the four knights game via Scotch Game transposition and gained a pawn up to gain a positional advantage after GM Howell committed a Nh7 blunder in the 14th move after So sacrficed his Bishop to h6. GM Howell resigned after 37 moves.

According to NM Mario Rebano who is watching the games online via the Internet, normal moves is Be6 of GM Howell instead Nh7 to solidify his position.

So's next assignment is No.9 GM Georg Meier of Germany who held into a draw with No. 3 GM Maxim Rodshtein of Israel after 27 moves of a Caro Kann Defense.

GMs Rodshtein and Meier now has 4.0 points, the same output of GM Ivan Popov of Russia, GM Daniel Stellwagen of the Netherlands, GM Ahmed Adley of Egypt, and IM Hrant Melkumyan of USA.

In other matches GM Stellwagen trounced GM Arman Pashikian of Armenia, GM Popov nipped Dzurabek Khamrakulov of Armenia, and GM Adley crushed GM Jones Gawain of England.

In the Girl's 20 and under class, WIM Vera Nebolsina of Russia beat over-night co-leader WFM Sarah Hoolt of Germany to post her fifth straight wins in as many rounds. Filipina Woman National Master Aices Salvador scored her second win against WFM Ruth Lovece of Argentina.

Individual Standings after round 5:

(Boys)

4.5 points---IM Wesley So (Philippines)

4.0 points---GM Maxim Rodshtein (Israel), GM Ivan Popov (Russia), GM Georg Meier (Germany), GM Daniel Stellwagen (Netherlands), GM Ahmed Adley (Egypt), IM Hrant Melkumyan (USA)

3.5 points--- GM Wang Hao (China), GM Dmitry Andreikin (Russia), GM Victor Laznicka (Czech Republic), GM Deepan Chakkravarthy (India), GM Bassem Amin (Egypt), GM David Howell (England), IM Evgeny Romanov (Russia), IM Gopal Narayanan (India), IM Avetik Grigoryan (Armenia), Jayaram Ashwin (Armenia), Pablo Garcia (Spain)

(Girls)

5.0 points---WIM Vera Nebolsina (Russia)

4.0 points---WGM Sabrina Vega (Spain), WGM Sanjay Karavade (India), WGM Bela Khotenashvili (Georgia), IM Harika Dronavalli (India), WIM Swaminathan Soumya (India), WFM Tatev Abrahamyan (USA), WFM Sarah Hoolt (Germany)

(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)