Wednesday, 29 July 2026 · Philippines
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Wesley So leads 49th Capablanca Memorial at halfway mark

The 49th edition of the Capablanca Memorial Tournament 2014 is underway and is being played on 8-18th May at the Habana Riviera Hotel in La Havana, Cuba. The event is organized by the Cuban Chess Federation and the Instituto Nacional de Deportes Educaci?n F?sica y Recreaci?n (INDER).

The Elite Group is a Category 19 with a rating average of 2721, and is a 6-player double round-robin tournament, composed of five(5) former Capablanca Memorial Champions and Wesley So a first timer in this prestigious tournament.

Participants:

1.?Dom?nguez?Perez, Leinier CUB 2768?(2004, 2008 & 2009 winner)

2.?Ivanchuk?,?Vassily UKR 2753?(2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011 & 2012 winner)

3. So, Wesley (PHI) 2731 (first-timer)

4.?Alm?si,?Zoltan HUN 2693?(2013 winner)

5. Vallejo Pons , Francisco ESP 2700 (2001 winner)

6. Bruzon Batista, Lazaro CUB 2682?(2002 winner)

R5: ?Almasi, Zoltan(HUN)2693-So, Wesley(PHI)2731 :0-1.

After 5 rounds?of play, at halfway mark, of the 10-round double round-robin event @ 49th?Capablanca Memorial(2014), GM Wesley So (PHI) 2731 snatched the sole lead scoring 3.5/5? (+2-0=3) by beating his perennial co-leader since R3 the defending champion GM Almasi, Zoltan (HUN)2693 who resigned after the 48th?move of? a French Winawer. ?The other previous round-4 leader, top seed?Dom?nguez?Perez, Leinier (CUB)2768 made a quick 13-mover draw [Ruy Lopez, Closed?(C92)]? with his compatriot Bruzon Batista, Lazaro(CUB)2682 to score 3.0/5(+1-0=4).

The game between?Ivanchuk, Vassily (UKR)2753 and Vallejo Pons, Francisco (ESP)2700 was won by Vallejo Pons when Ivanchuk conceded defeat?(his second in five matches) ?in the 53rd? move of a ? Giuoco Piano?(C53).

Round 5 results

Dominguez Perez, Leinier vs Bruzon Batista, Lazaro??-??

Ivanchuk, Vassily vs Vallejo Pons, Francisco?0-1?

Almasi, Zoltan vs So, Wesley?0-1?

Standings after 5 rounds

1. So, Wesley g PHI 2731 ;?3??

2. Dominguez Perez, Leinier g CUB 2768 :?3

3-4. Almasi, Zoltan g HUN 2693 :?2??

3-4. Bruzon Batista, Lazaro g CUB 2682 :?2?

5. Vallejo Pons, Francisco g ESP 2700 :?2?

6. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2753 :?1?? ? ? ?

Live ratings of GM Wesley So (PHI)2731)?and his scheduled opponents until R10.

With R5 win, GM Wesley So ??Live rating of 2740.2, now?ranks?#19 in the Live Chess Ratings of the Top chess players in the world.?@?http://2700chess.com.? ?Additionally, it is the 2nd Personal Best/Highest Live Rating recorded by ?Wesley So. ?His Personal?Best/Highest Live rating was 2740.3 recorded on 17 Jan 2014 @ R5 of Tata Steel Chess 2014.

GM?Susan Polgar,?Wesley So?s coach at Webster U, tweeted??At the half at Capablanca Memorial, Wesley So?is +2 & his live rating is 2740+. He?s about 3 pts away from top 15 in the world!?. ??

Round 6 (14 May) Pairings:

May 13, 2014 (Havana) is ?Rest Day?. ?R6 scheduled on May 14.

Bruzon Batista, Lazaro?- So, Wesley

Almasi, Zoltan -?Vallejo Pons, Francisco

Ivanchuk, Vassily -?Dominguez Perez, Leinier

All the games (R6 to R10 : 14-18 May) ?starts at?3PM (Havana time) or 3AM (PHI time).PHI time is 12 hrs ahead than Havana time.?Live games could be watched and replayed at the following sites:

https://arena.chessdom.com/#/stream_tournaments/show/127

http://chessbomb.com/site/

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