Wesley So, now playing under US, draws world champ
Playing in his first major tournament since switching to the US team from the Philippines, Wesley So managed a draw with world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway
Ignacio Dee
Published 3:36 PM, Jan 12, 2015
Updated 3:36 PM, Jan 12, 2015
MANILA, Philippines – It looks surreal seeing the US flag beside Wesley So’s table at the marquee match of the 2015 Tata Steel, one of the strongest chess tournaments in the circuit, playing against world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway.
But when the second-round game between Carlsen and So ended in a draw, Filipino chess fans on the Internet cheered as if Wesley So was still playing for the flag of his native Philippines.
At the Chess Philippines Facebook page, Ryan Vincent Jarabejo posted:” The flag is American but the heart is Filipino!” Joseph Roque added:” Go Wesley! Go Bacoor Cavite native!”. Chimed in writer Herky del Mundo after seeing the live feed: “Wesley is so calm while Magnus is shaking head in disbelief.”
During the press conference after the game, Carlsen, according to a Tweet from journalist Tarjei Svensen, said: “So played the middlegame better than me, I overlooked things. Then I saw the chance to exchange pieces and draw.”
So responded in the same presser: “My first game against the reigning champion, it’s a big honor for me. He’s by far the best player I’ve met.”
The draw came a few hours before the World Chess Federation announcement that So will represent the United States as an entry for the 2015 World Cup, which is a qualifying tournament for the world chess championship.
So transferred from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to the US Chess Federation last year. Last month, he said he was quitting Webster University in St Louis, where former women’s world champion Susan Polgar trained him for nearly three years and raised his world ranking to No. 10, to turn professional.
Tata Steel is So’s first big tournament since becoming pro. Aside from Carlsen, world number Fabiano Caruana of Italy is there, and so is the women’s world champion, Hou Yifan of China. So will be playing black against most of the strong players and experts forecast a modest 50 percent score.
What does one feel when he plays a world champion? Eugene Torre, who defeated then titleholder Anatoly Karpov in a 1976 Manila tournament, tells Rappler: “It’s a mix of excitement and other emotions. I was playing Karpov for the third time but this was the first time as world champion. I got lucky and took the advantage.”
Then, emotions grabbed hold of Asia’s first grandmaster. “I got into time pressure and even missed a mate,” Torre recalled.
Source: http://www.rappler.com
Go Wesley….US#1 !
It’ll be awesome to watch So and Nakamura duke it out for the top US spot for the next few years. It’s interesting that at the same age (21), Hikaru was nowhere near Wesley’s current strength/rating. If Wes continues to improve at the current pace, he’ll be a monster. So the big C’s (Carlsen and Caruana) better watch out. USA!
I for one kinda sad that the flag was not Philippines. but maybe this should wake up the psc and they better take care of their athlete.
The world is possible because of Lotis Key. She’ll make Wesley a world champion.
Will you please stop this Lotus Key stuff. It’s not funny anymore. Please please
I think it’s time for nakamura to wake up and study harder if he want to regain his lost glory. The way wesley’s game is going, he will always be relegated to 2nd place in US federation. WAKE UP SON
he has no chance against nakamura… he destroy him in blitz last month
Credit must go to Lotis Key, the new manager of Wesley So.
Nil Maglas, NCFP Officials GM Jayson Gonzales & Atty Edmundo Legaspi are the brain-child/architect of the Lotis Key campaign Wesley So. Apparently, they are still BITTER lol
Even with Wesley and Hiikaru playing together for the USA, it will be no match to the Chinese chess team.
blitz game is different to classical game