Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
12 May — 24 May 2026
Location
Bucharest, RO
Field
10 players
Format
Round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
9 · 9 played
Decisive
36%
Avg. rating
2744

Round 3 · 15 May 2026

So — Caruana

The Matchup

White
Wesley SoCredit
🇺🇸USA
2nd · 1.0

Wesley So

2747 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½
World#9FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2754Age32

A U.S. legend and endgame specialist, valued for immaculate technique, calm defense, and elite practical steadiness under sustained pressure.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
Fabiano CaruanaCredit
🇺🇸USA
2nd · 1.0

Fabiano Caruana

2751 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½
World#3FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2788Age33

A principled calculator with world-championship match experience, known for deep opening preparation and clean technical pressure.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

Lifetime FIDE classical score unavailable (missing FIDE ID or cache not warmed).

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Key Moments

Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Sveshnikov Variation, Chelyabinsk Variation
BlackCaruanaUSA2803
WhiteSoUSA2753
B
+0.5W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Bg5f6g5
+0.3977%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD77% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Threatening

Immediate impact

Bg5 is active (king-zone pressure)
Bb7c8b7
+0.715%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Threatening
Board structure

Immediate impact

Hard to spot

Rb8a8b8
+0.463%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD3% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Threatening
Board structure