Wesley So’s next target: Aeroflot chess tourney
02/03/2010 04:26 PM
GM Wesley So is looking forward to his next big tournament – the 2010 Aeroflot Open chess championship on Feb. 9-17 in Moscow, Russia.
Hardly disappointed by his fourth place finish in the 72nd Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands last week, the 16-year-old So quietly flew back to the country for a brief rest before preparing for another acid test in his young and storied career.
“It’s a new challenge for me,” said So, who is set to leave for the Russian capital via Hong Kong at 4:40 p.m. on Sunday.
“It’s like in Corus. Madami ding magagaling at mahuhusay na mga players ang kasali dun sa Aeroflot,” added So, who finished in a tie for fourth to fifth places in Group B of the Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee.
With Laylo
But unlike in Corus where he was the lone Filipino participant in the category-16 tournament,
So will be joined in Aeroflot by fellow GM Darwin Laylo.
Both So and Laylo will compete in the centerpiece Category A for players with ELO rating higher than 2549.
Laylo, the reigning Asian Zone 3.3 champion, is fresh from a respectable performance in the recent World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia late last year.
The total prize fund in the Aeroflot tournament is 70,000 euro, with the champion getting the lion’s share of 21,000 euro, the runner-up receiving 12,000 euro and the third placer pocketing 7,000 euro.
Cash prizes will also be given from the fourth up to the 30th placer.
Aside from the cash prizes, the champion will also get outright invitation to play in the prestigious Dortmund round-robin tournament.
Last year, So finished in a heavy tie for 17th to 36th places with five points on three wins, four draws and two losses in the nine-round tournament.
The Filipino, however, bagged the top junior award by finishing ahead of fellow world junior campaigners GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan, GM Sanan Sjugirov of Russia and IM Ray Robson of the United States.
Here is the full article.
Wesley can break 2700 in Aeroflot.
GM So needs a break.
This tournament hopping (although playing in strong events like Aeroflot is a worthwhile exposure) does not make him closer to his goal, which is to improve himself in his current rating and strength.
What he needs is to reexamine himself. An intensive reflection of what he lacks to go up to the elite.
He still has a few years to prove this, otherwise he will join the league of withering 2650+ GMs who always comes out short when they are against 2700s.
Yes I agree anonymous 9:01AM. He is spreading himself too thin. He needs to slow down and at least have a comprehensive review of his games from Corus, ie review opening weaknesses etc. He is flipping across the globe like he is trying to acquire frequent flyer miles. The bayot needs slow down, eat some corndogs, or other similiar shaped objects and enjoy some going down time. I salute you GM So for being the great Bakla that you are!
“The bayot needs slow down, eat some corndogs, or other similiar shaped objects and enjoy some going down time.”
Why? you want him to come down on your similar shaped object?
The innuendo in here is unctuous!