Caruana rallies past So, tackles Carlsen in Clutch Chess finals

FALLING SHORT. Wesley So blows his repeat bid over a fellow US team member. Photo from So’s Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Fabiano Caruana won the vital 11th game and drew the 12th to topple Wesley So, 9.5-8.5, in their semifinal tussle on Friday, June 12 (Saturday, June 13, Philippine time) and forge a title duel with world champion Magnus Carlsen in the $265,000 (P13.35 million) Clutch Chess International.

Trailing, 2-6, after the first 6 games of the semifinals, Caruana opened up the second set with back-to-back victories in the 7th and 8th games and although So took the 9th, the United States' top player pounced on a passive move by the US No. 2 to clinch game 10.

Handling black, Caruana then won game 11 on a bishop-rook, two knights ending, worth 3 points under the novel scoring scheme, to overtake So, 8-7.

It was still a toss-up as the 12th is also worth 3 points, but So surprisingly agreed to draw by repetition and blow his bid to repeat over Caruana, his finals victim in the inaugural Clutch Chess Champions Showdown last month. (READ: Wesley So clinches Clutch Chess title, P1.5M)

In contrast with Caruana's bumpy ride, world champion Carlsen sailed smoothly to the finals.

Carlsen booked his finals ticket with a win-win-draw-draw effort from game 7, worth 1 point each, then also agreed to draws in the 11th and 12th for a 12-6 drubbing of Aronian.

Thus, the world's top 2 players will dispute the $50,000 top purse, excluding bonuses for clutch games 5 and 6, valued at $2,000 each and clutch games 11 And 12, valued at $3,000 each, in another 12-game match starting on Saturday snd ending Sunday.

If it’s any consolation, So pocketed $25,000 for reaching the semifinals and $12,000 in bonuses, including $10,000 when he routed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, 13-5, in the quarterfinals of the online tournament organized by the Saint Louis Chess Club in Missouri. – Rappler.com