So takes 21-move loss to Cuban GM

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So lost his way in a middlegame skirmish and absorbed a devastating 21-move loss to Cuban Leinier Dominguez Perez in their Petroff duel in the 2014 Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands Tuesday night.

So, 20, withered under tremendous pressure after he played a passive move that weakened his kingside defense instead of a freeing pawn move at the center that would have helped him equalize.

The blunder allowed the sixth-seeded Perez to launch a decisive attack that saw him sacrificing a rook on an empty space and dealing the Universiade gold medalist his second defeat.

So fell in a share of sixth spot with Indian Pentala Harikrishna and Dutch Loek Van Wely with four points apiece.

The Webster U standout’s last three games pit him against Van Wely tonight, Harikrishna on Saturday and No. 3 Fabiano Caruana of Italy on Sunday.