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 4 · 16 May 2026

SoDeac

The Matchup

White
🇺🇸USA
2nd · 1.5

Wesley So

2761 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½½
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
🇷🇴ROU
4th · 0.5

Bogdan-Daniel Deac

2623 Performance · 1.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½LL
World#60FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2650Age37

A Romanian grandmaster with pragmatic classical instincts and the steady technique to grind elite round-robins.

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


Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian
BlackDeacROU2655
WhiteSoUSA2753
B
+9.4W

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.

Tempting traps

Rh8h7h8
+7.6958%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD58% would play this move

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

Threatening
Board structure

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Rg7h7g7
+7.498%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD8% would play this move

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

Threatening

Hard to spot

Ka8a7a8
+5.133%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD3% would play this move

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

Board structure
Nc6Critical

Allows concrete threats