Short draws

Frankly, I was a little bit disappointed – if not frustrated – with the way GM Wesley So treated his games in Rounds 5, 6, and 7 in Zone 3.3. FIDE World Chess Championships in Vietnam.

He went for a short draw with compatriot GM Darwin Laylo in Round 5 after a dull 14-mover draw.

He then opted to halve the point with GM Zhang Zhong in Round 6, this time much faster in only 11 moves.

And then, he slowed back further by ending the game against another fellow Filipino campaigner GM Mark Paragua in only 8 moves.

Oh boy, three consecutive games all played in only 33 moves – or an average of 11 moves per game.

I am sure that this article will hurt a lot of Wesley fans, I know. But don’t forget that I am speaking, first and foremost, as an avid Wesley fan. I’ll say it again: I am an avid Wesley fan, if not the No.1 fan.

Many will reason out that it’s just his overall strategy - a very well calculated move – to bag a slot for the World Cup. Of course, I agree.

Let’s say he’s there for a specific objective – that is, to bag a slot for World Cup, nothing else. I agree, too.

But oh please, lest we forget, nowadays whenever Wesley participates in a tournament, he no longer does it all by himself. It’s because he brings with him a legion of followers who feel like dying just to watch his games.

Let’s accept it. Wesley is more than a player. More than anything else, he is a national symbol – an icon of excellence and hope.

Amidst this politically fucked up country, he is like a warm ray of the morning sun that can make us smile and feed our spirit to continue hoping for what is good.

His Round 1 draw was just right. But the three consecutive draws in Round 5, 6, and 7 – all played in dull short games – somehow spews cloud to his charm. I just hope that that style of play won’t boomerang against him in the future.