Wesley So in Tata Steel Masters 2015 Chess Tournament

Eight rounds down, five more to go for the 2015 edition of Tata Steel Masters Chess Tournament, and Wesley So is planted on 2nd place (after tiebreaks are applied), and just half a point behind the World Champion, Magnus Carlsen. This happened after 3 wins and 5 draws (with 0 loss).

Standings after 8 rounds in Tata Steel Masters 2015
Standings after 8 rounds in Tata Steel Masters 2015
Wesley So vs. Levon Aronian in Round 3 of Tata Steel Masters 2015. Photo credit: Tata Steel Chess.
Wesley So vs. Levon Aronian in Round 3 of Tata Steel Masters 2015. Photo credit: Tata Steel Chess.

Wesley’s first win came from his game against Levon Aronian of Armenia in Round 3. Replay the game: Wesley So vs. Levon Aronian Rd. 3 Tata Steel 2015.

The second came about on his game against the tail-ender Baadur Jobava of Georgia in Round 6.

Baadur Jobava vs. Wesley So after Black's 25th move in Round 6 of Tata Steel Masters 2015. Here, Jobava, on his 26th move made a bad move by capturing the pawn at d6 with 26. Qxd6.
Baadur Jobava vs. Wesley So after Black’s 25th move in Round 6 of Tata Steel Masters 2015. Here, Jobava, on his 26th move made a bad move by capturing the pawn at d6 with 26. Qxd6.

Replay the game: Baadur Jobava vs. Wesley So Rd. 6 Tata Steel Masters 2015.

Then on Round 8, Wesley So defeated the then leader (at the end of Round 7) Vassily Ivanchuk, his second win against the Ukrainian since the 2009 Chess World Cup. Here’s what Wesley has to say after this win:

Replay the game: Vassily Ivanchuk vs. Wesley So in Round 8 of Tata Steel Masters 2015.

After this outstanding performance, Wesley So is now ranked No. 6 in the Live Chess Ratings List, just trailing behind the former World Champion, Viswanathan Anand, and the elite group of Super GM’s with ELO 2800+ ratings: Magnus Carlsen (World Champion), Fabiano Caruana, Alexander Grischuk, and Veselin Topalov. Hopefully, he’ll be able to maintain his momentum leading to the Official FIDE Ratings List come the end of January.

Wesley So is ranked No. 6 in the Live Ratings List.
Wesley So is ranked No. 6 in the Live Ratings List.

Today is rest day for the tournament, and it resumes tomorrow with Round 9. Wesley So is set to face Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Liren Ding, Ivan Saric, Anish Giri and Loek Van Wely in Rounds 9 to 13. Of the five, Vachier-Lagrave, Ding and Giri prove to be tough opponents. And we’ll find that out in the coming days.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Anish Giri in Tata Steel Masters 2015. Photo credit: Tata Steel Chess.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Anish Giri in Tata Steel Masters 2015. Photo credit: Tata Steel Chess.

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J Gamboa January 20, 2015 Reply

Congratulations Wesley!

Joel Tordesillas January 20, 2015 Reply

You Wesley So fans are so enthusiastic about your idol. I just hope he’ll be able to live up to your expectations, especially by the end of this tourney!

peter g. belderol January 24, 2015 Reply

Wesley So is a brilliant chessplayer and I like his attitude. He sets a goal, work hard on it and moves closer everyday in achieving it. It may take some time perhaps for him to be at par with Carlsen but he already has proven that he can be one among the top ten chessplayers of the world. If he will live up to what is expected of him to be, then well and good for Wesley. And if he will falter and fell along the way, I will like him still anyway.

deuts January 24, 2015 Reply

He’s already at the same league as that of Carlsen, I’m sure about that. Go Wesley!

Nolan Santos January 25, 2015 Reply

I can feel he will be the next Filipino World Champion………..God bless you Wesley So!!!!!

deuts January 26, 2015 Reply

Next Filipino world champion ? Why, was there one already??? Hehe

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