Source: Dennis Gasgonia, abs-cbnnews.com
-- Filipino chess prodigy Wesley So may become a super GM “very soon” if he continues his stellar winning streak, according to former congressman and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero Pichay Jr.
Pichay said So’s fourth round finish in the 2009 World Chess Cup proves that the Filipino GM is very capable of breaking the ELO 2700 barrier and reach the “super status”.
“He’d probably attain super grandmaster status in 12 months time,” Pichay told abs-cbnNEWS.com in a telephone interview.
The Bacoor, Cavite based player has an ELO rating of 2640 and is ranked No. 7 among the Junior chess players around the globe.
The former Surigao del Sur representative said he is proud of So’s “Cinderella run” in the biennial event held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
“He is the last Asian and youngest player in that round. This is not only an achievement for us Filipinos but for all Asians as well,” said Pichay.
The competition saw the 16-year-old So vanquishing Chess Cup defending champion super GM Gata Kamsky of the US in Round 3. So upset World No. 12 GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in Round 2.
His run came to a halt when he was defeated by Russian super GM Vladimir Malakhov (ELO 2706) in the fourth round.
So’s fourth-round finish is arguably the country’s best showing in World Chess Cup history, surpassing the efforts of his compatriots, GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. , Darwin Laylo, Mark Paragua and Ronald Dableo who all reached the second round of the competition.
GM Eugene Torre, Asia’s first GM, reached the quarterfinal stage under a different elimination format.
“I’m confident that So will again qualify for the World Chess Cup in the next two years,” said Pichay.
Friday, December 4, 2009
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