WESLEY SUFFERS SECOND STRAIGHT LOSS

WESLEY SO SUFFERS SECOND STRAIGHT LOSS IN WORLD JR CHESS

Individual Standings after round 8:

(Boys)
7.0 points--- GM Ahmed Adly (Egypt)
6.0 points--- GM Wang Hao (China), GM Georg Meier (Germany), GM Ivan Popov (Russia), IM Grigoryan Avetik (Armenia)
5.5 points--- GM Victor Laznicka (Czech Republic), GM Parimarjan Negi (India), GM Dmitry Andreikin (Russia), GM Maxim Rodshtein (Israel), GM Arman Pashikian (Armenia)
5.0 points---IM Wesley So (Philippines), GM Daniel Stellwagen (Netherlands), GM Bassem Amin (Egypt), IM Gopal Narayanan (India), IM Davit Jojua (Georgia), IM Sasha Kaplan (Israel), IM Marcos Llaneza (Spain), IM Abhijeet Gupta (India), IM Fidel Corrales (Cuba), IM Gogineni Rohit (India), IM Daan Brandenburg (Netherlands), IM Marcus Ragger (Austria), Jayaram Ashwin (India)

INTERNATIONAL MASTER Wesley So (2531), the 14-year-old Filipino chess wizard suffered his second straight loss at the hands of top seed GM Wang Hao of China (2643) after 59 moves of an English Opening using the disadvantageous black pieces in the eight round of 2007 World Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the T. Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan, Armenia late Thursday.

With this result, the 13th seed So remains at 5.0 points on account of 4 wins, 2 draws and 2 loses to drop into a tie for 11th to 23rd placers in the company of ninth round opponent IM Sasha Kaplan of Israel who was held to a draw with unrated Jayaram Ashwin of India handling the white side.

GM Wang, on the other hand climbed into a tie for 2nd to 5th placers 6.0 points along with GM Georg Meier of Germany, GM Ivan Popov of Russia, and IM Grigoryan Avetik of Armenia.

GM Meier trounced IM Gopal Narayanan of India, GM Popov defeated GM Daniel Stellwagen of the Netherlands while IM Avetik nipped GM Gawain Jones of England.

GM Ahmed Adly of Egypt remained on top with 7.0 points after checkmating GM Victor Laznicka of Czech Republic in just 28 moves of a King's Indian Attack.

GM Laznicka was stuck at 5.5 points to share 6th to 10th placers with GM Parimarjan Negi of India, GM Dmitry Andreikin of Russia, GM Maxim Rodshtein of Israel and GM Arman Pashikian of Armenia in this 80 player's field of the Boy's 20 and under class.

In the Girl's 20 and under division, WIM Vera Nebolsina of Russia still on top with 7.0 points after a 52 moves draw of a Ruy Lopez Opening against her games with WGM Bathuyag Mongontuul of Mongolia.

IM Dronavili Harika of India smashed WGM Sabrina Vega of Spain after 37 moves of King's Indian Defense to grabs the solo second placer with 6.5 points.

Tied for 3rd to 5th placers with 6.0 points each were WGM Vega, WGM Sanjay Karavade of India and WFM Anna Gasik of Poland.

Meanwhile, Filipino Woman National Master Aices Salvador yielded to WIM Swaminathan Soumya of India. She remains at 4.0 points, good for her to tie at 26th to 34th placers in this 58 player's field.

The 17-year-old La Salle Management student Salvador's ninth round assignment is WFM Klaudia Kulon of Poland, also coming a lost to WIM Gulmira Dauletova of Kazakhstan.

(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)