Bright Black

As if GM Wesley So read my previous post where I said:

OBSERVATIONS (after 8 rounds):
1. All wins were with White
2. Has not won with Black
3. All wins were against non-GMs

Wesley responded with a resounding win with the black pieces in Round 9 against a formidable opponent in IM Martyn Kravtsiv (2555) of Ukraine after 52 moves of a Sicilian Defense.

He now has 6.0 points after nine rounds, only 1.5 points behind the lone leader, IM Arik Braun (2533) of Germany with four more rounds to play.

He is paired against GM David Howell (2561) of England in Round 10 on Board 2 holding the White pieces.

Below is the final position of Wesley's victory in Round 9, where he held the black pieces:

Complete game in PGN file:

KRAVTSIV,Martyn (2555) - SO,Wesley (2577) [B35]World Junior Chess Championshi Gaziantep (9.6), 11.08.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 a5 9.0-0 d6 10.f3 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bd7 12.a4 Bc6 13.Nd5 Nd7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qd4+ Kg8 16.Rfe1 Nc5 17.Ne3 b5 18.axb5 Nxb3 19.cxb3 Bxb5 20.Red1 Bd7 21.b4 axb4 22.Rxa8 Qxa8 23.Nd5 Qe8 24.Rc1 Be6 25.Nxb4 Qd7 26.Nd5 Bxd5 27.exd5 Rb8 28.h3 f6 29.b4 Rb7 30.Qe4 Kg7 31.Kh2 Qa4 32.Rb1 Qb5 33.f4 f5 34.Qd4+ Kg8 35.Rc1 Qxb4 36.Qe3 Kg7 37.Rc8 h5 38.h4 Kh7 39.Re8 Qe4 40.Qxe4 fxe4 41.Ra8 Kg7 42.Ra4 e3 43.Re4 Kf6 44.Rxe3 Rb4 45.Rd3 Rxf4 46.g3 Re4 47.Kg2 Ke5 48.Rd2 Rd4 49.Re2+ Kf6 50.Rf2+ Kg7 51.Re2 Kf7 52.Rf2+ Ke8 0-1