GM Wesley So (United States of America) beat GM Jesper Sondergaard Thybo (Denmark) in round 3 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026 (Open), in 36 moves.
The game turned on 23...Rd5. Before it, Stockfish had the position as level (+0.11); one move later, winning for White (+3.30).
Stockfish wanted 23...Qd6 instead. Can you see why? And 24.Bxh6, the engine's best reply, came straight back.
It began as the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo.
Replay it move by move, then take the key position on against the engine.
- White
- GM Wesley So, 2774 · United States of America
- Black
- GM Jesper Sondergaard Thybo, 2579 · Denmark
- Result
- 1–0 in 36 moves
- Opening
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo · C54
- Event
- 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026, Open, Round 3 · Samarkand, Uzbekistan
- Key move: {0}
- 23...Rd5
- Engine’s choice
- 23...Qd6