GM So makes the world believe

(GM Wesley So. Photo sourced from WCC 2009 official site)

When fire meets fire, expect something hot.

The Ivanchuk-So battle in Round 2-Game 1 of the 2009 World Chess Cup was a collision of burning stars that quaked the universe of chess.

The elements of thunderous explosion were all there. First, we had a young talent whose ferocity knows no fear. Second, we had a real warrior whose attitude in battle is to kill or be killed.

Don't expect peace when warriors of this kind face each other in the battlefield.

See? The beauty of any sports depends on who play it. Chess as a competitive sport is alive, and will continue to be, with the kinds of GMs So and Ivanchuk.

At one moment of the game, Ivanchuk could have opted for a draw . But perhaps he saw that for their heated encounter to end in a cold draw would blemish the beauty of the game.

So Ivanchuk, as unpredictable as he is known to be, chose to play risky. Ah, the risk. Only great people take the risk.

Of course, risk makes chess beautiful, as in any other sport. It's the risk, the unknown that make humans fall in love with chess.

I admire Ivanchuk more with the attitude he put on his game against So. Objectively, it was more of Ivanchuk who made that fight exciting. It was more of Ivanchuk's blood that was sacrificed to paint the battlefield red.

Simply put, the Round 2-Game 1 of Ivanchuk-So match was Ivanchuk's game. And it was a perfect blend: Ivanchuk's raging bull-attack was met by So's merciless sword.

Watch the butchery: