Tag: Wesley So

The Curious Case of a Chess Enthusiast

Got a comment in my post, “Wesley So, the Gifted Child“. I prepared a long response that I decided to actually just post a new entry about it instead. And so here goes.

Here’s what my commentator has to say:

I don’t think that Wesley So is a gifted child. In today’s world where computer softwares are readily available to budding chessplayers earning a GM norm or title is not really that hard anymore. And to compare him to the great Bobby Fischer is indeed a blasphemy! Fischer was a true genius never before and shall never be seen again in chess. However, Wesley’s achievements should make the Filipinos proud. But as we all know India is million miles ahead of us in chess considering its long list of Super GMs.

To Mr. Panday, if you think Wesley So is not a gifted child, that’s your opinion. You’re definitely entitled to one. Any software is available to everyone to help him/her in analyzing a game, but it does not conclude anyone can also be a grandmaster. It takes patience and determination on top of the inherent skills in someone who is a grandmaster in order to master the craft of chess. Computer chess softwares are merely a tool in studying and preparing for a game or tournament. They are not there to think for you during the actual game. Continue reading The Curious Case of a Chess Enthusiast

Wesley So Wins Corus Chess 2009 Group C

Philippines’ pride GM Wesley So emerged as the sole winner in the the Group C category of Corus Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee in Netherlands.

Nothing grand upset, though. He was the top seed in that category to start with. But it is yet a great achievement in such a prestigious event in the world of chess. We may expect So to at least be promoted to Group B in the next year.

Philippines is 3rd in the Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad

Chessdom – India wins the Chess U16 Olympiad 2008 ahead of Russia.

With GM Wesley So steering the board 1 for the Philippines, he won 8 games and drew 2 to grab the gold medal at board 1. Not a bad performance for the Philippines, considering So’s teammates are way below his high ELO rating of 2577.

Actually, Wesley So was the highest rated player in the tournament.

Grandmasters Eugene Torre and Wesley So Battle Over One Million

Inquirer.net dubs this the richest chess event in the country so far. Philippines’ chess legend GM Eugenio Torre against the current world’s youngest grandmaster GM Wesley So for a pot prize of Php 1 million. The match will be a 10-round one-on-one duel, two games each will be played in Quezon City, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao, the remaining if unresolved will be continued back in Quezon City. The winner gets P600,000, the loser P400,000.

Read more.

A Short Photo Op with GM Wesley So

Me with GM Wesley So

I just grabbed this opportunity to have a photo taken with the future chess superstar who will hopefully someday join the ranks of super GM’s like Viswanathan Anand, Veselin Topalov, and Vladimir Kramnik. I know that it may yet be far from reality, but who knows, being the youngest grandmaster in the world of chess, Filipino Wesley So has still a long way to go.

Continue reading A Short Photo Op with GM Wesley So

Wesley So, the Gifted Child

Indeed, Wesley So holds up to the expectation of him as Promil’s gifted child a long time ago. Now at the age of 13, he’s the Philippines’ youngest IM (besting even Mark Paragua), rated at 2519 in the April 2007 FIDE rankings, he grabbed the fourth spot in the countries best chess players trailing behind Grandmasters Antonio Rogelio Jr. (2539), Mark Paragua and Eugenio Torre (both 2532).

Wesley So(Photo courtesy of Rooty Hill Chess)

Wesley is well on the way to becoming the Philippines’ next grandmaster. He’s not going to be the youngest in history — that honour belongs to Sergey Karjakin, but already he’s a long way ahead of Bobby Fischer, who earned his title at 15 years and 6 months.
– Source

Last November 2006, So already gained his first GM norm.

I haven’t gone through all the games of this kid over at chessgames.com, yet here’s one game that proves his brilliance.

Note: In any case that the Chess Publisher should break down, you can always refer to DEUTS.NET PGN VIEWER, courtesy of jspngviewer.

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Update: No more DEUTS.NET PGN VIEWER.