World Junior Chess Championship Round 9: Wesley So victorious against Kravtsiv

Wait a minute. Hou Yifan, mixing it up with the boys? Come on, how about finding some super GM boys in the girls division next time? And ooops! that boy in the foreground- is he still thinking about that girl yesterday?

GM Wesley So defeated Ukranian GM candidate Kravtsiv Martyn (2555) in the 9 round to remain in contention for the title. After nine rounds, So remains unbeaten with a total of 6 1/2 points, still a full point behind the sole leader, IM Braun Arik (2533) of Germany. Wesley is now tied with 3 other players for 4-7 spot with 4 more rounds to play. Meanwhile, Haridas Pascua continue to falte with his matches as he losses a new, this time to FM Nrmontas Matas of Lithuania. Wesley next foe in the 10th round is England's prodigy and tourney's second placer, GM David Howell (2561).

Can IM Braun Arik handle the pressure with 4 more rounds to play? This is looking good for Wesley :)

Photo from WJCC2008

Rank after round 9
Rank	SNo.		Name	Rtg	FED	Pts	Fide	Rtg+/-	Ra	Rp
1	23	IM	BRAUN Arik	2533	GER	7½	37½	27	2503	2776
2	14	GM	HOWELL David	2561	ENG	7	37½	18	2506	2726
3	2	GM	RODSHTEIN Maxim	2605	ISR	7	33	9	2467	2683
4	6	GM	LI Chao B	2590	CHN	6½	37½	11	2518	2684
5	28	GM	SAFARLI Eltaj	2527	AZE	6½	36½	18	2502	2668
6	11	GM	SO Wesley	2577	PHI	6½	32½	9	2485	2651
7	16	WGM	HOU Yifan	2557	CHN	6	35	8	2494	2619
8	20	GM	POPOV Ivan	2549	RUS	6	34	5	2463	2588
9	25	GM	BRKIC Ante	2530	CRO	6	32½	14	2519	2644
	34	IM	SANIKIDZE Tornike	2486	GEO	6	32½	18	2505	2624
11	9	GM	NGUYEN Ngoc Truong Son	2579	VIE	6	31½	3	2479	2604
	29	IM	MELKUMYAN Hrant	2507	ARM	6	31½	12	2474	2599
13	19	GM	GUPTA Abhijeet	2551	IND	6	31	1	2433	2558
14	26	GM	NEGI Parimerjan	2529	IND	6	30½	6	2449	2574
	33	GM	WEN Yang	2487	CHN	6	30½	10	2430	2551
16	8	GM	ZHIGALKO Sergei	2583	BLR	6	30	3	2482	2607
17	24	GM	RAMIREZ Alejandro	2531	CRC	6	29½	5	2435	2555
18	3	GM	ANDREIKIN Dmitry	2604	RUS	6	29	-3	2443	2560
19	36	IM	BOROS Denes	2472	HUN	6	27½	7	2395	2512
	37	IM	CAN Emre	2460	TUR	6	27½	15	2462	2587