So, Barbosa to play in 2009 Spice Cup
abs-cbnNEWS.com 09/03/2009 5:54 PM
MANILA – Filipino chess players Wesley So and Oliver Barbosa received invites to play in the forthcoming 2009 Spice Cup A and B at the Texas Tech University in Texas, USA.
So, the youngest Filipino grandmaster (GM) with an ELO rating of 2644, is seeded second in the tournament’s Group A division, according to BilliardPhilippines.com.
The Cavite-based chess prodigy is ranked No. 97 among FIDE’s Top 100 chess players of the world.
Russian Junior Champion 19 year-old GM Dmitry Andreikin (2659/ Russia) is the tournament top seed while last year’s Spice Cup co-champion GM Varuzhan Akobian (2636/USA) is third seed.
Barbosa, an International Master (IM) with ELO rating of 2451, is ninth seed in Category 11 of Group B division.
The tournament will run from September 19 to 29.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. said he is very confident that So and Barbosa will perform well in the tournament, organized by GM Susan Polgar, head of the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence at Texas Tech University.
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com
Go Wesley!
Akobian is a strong player, but Susan has done so well with recruiting, I truly believe he is out of his league in the Spice Cup A. (although I will be routing for him).