Wesley So scores first win in Corus B

Wesley So to battle Dutch GM for top spot
ABS-CBN - Saturday, January 30


MANILA, Philippines – Filipino grandmaster (GM) Wesley So is set to battle tournament solo leader Dutch GM Anish Giri for the top spot in the on-going 72nd Corus international chess championship group B in the Netherlands.

The 11th round collision between the Filipino GM and the Dutch will take place Friday at the De Moriaan Community Centre in Wijk Aan Zee.

The 16-year-old So, who beat Finland's top player GM Tomi Nyback in the 10th round, got a much needed rest on Thursday to preserve his energy for the remaining rounds of the 13 round-robin World Chess Federation (FIDE)-sanctioned tournament.

“Krusyal ang laro ni GM Wesley (So) kay GM Anish (Giri). Hope manalo siya at mahawakan ang momentum,” said So’s coach National Master Roberto Suelo Jr.

Anish is currently on top with 7 points after halving the point with top seed German GM Arkadij Naiditsch in the 10th round.

So, on the other hand, is currently tied in 2nd place with Dutch GM Erwin L'Ami and Chinese GM Ni Hua with 6.5 points each.

So’s 12th round match will be against England GM David Howell using the black pieces. His 13th and final match will be against Ukrainian Woman Grandmaster and International Master (WGM/IM) Anna Muzychuk using the white pieces.

“Everybody wants to be a world champion. I believe I have what it takes to achieve it,” Wesley said.

So’s trip to the Netherlands is backed by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero Pichay, Jr. and Filway Marketing Inc. CEO Hector Tagaysay.

Long-time manager Reginald Tee, served as second trainer of Wesley in the Holland chess meet. – by Marlon Bernardino

Corus Group B Standings after Round 10:
7 points - GM Anish Giri (Netherlands) 6.5 points - GM Wesley So (Philippines), GM Erwin L'Ami (Netherlands), GM Ni Hua (China) 6 points - GM Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany) 5.5 points - GM Parimarjan Negi (India) 5 points - GM Pentala Harikrishna (India), GM David Howell (England) 4.5 points - GM Emil Sutovsky (Israel), WGM Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) 4 points - GM Liviu- Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania) 3.5 points - GM Dimitri Reinderman (Netherlands) 3 points - GM Tomi Nyback (Finland) 2.5 points - GM Varuzhan Akobian (United States)

Unfortunately he lost the battle on Giri holding white pieces.

sulayan ni nato bro ha, wala gyud koy alamag ana

hapit na bro

 
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Corus (B Group) Tournament
Anish Giri
9/13   (+6 -1 =6)   

Arkadi Naiditsch
8.5/13   (+5 -1 =7)   

Ni Hua
8/13   (+4 -1 =8)   

Wesley So
7.5/13   (+3 -1 =9)   

Erwin L'Ami
7.5/13   (+3 -1 =9)   

Pentala Harikrishna
6.5/14   (+2 -3 =9)   

Parimarjan Negi
6.5/13   (+2 -2 =9)   

Dimitri Reinderman
6/14   (+3 -5 =6)   

Emil Sutovsky
6/13   (+2 -3 =8)   

David Howell
6/13   (+3 -4 =6)   

Anna Muzychuk
5.5/13   (+1 -3 =9)   

Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu
5.5/13   (+1 -3 =9)   

Tomi Nyback
5/13   (+3 -6 =4)   

Varuzhan Akobian
4.5/13   (+1 -5 =7)   



The country's No.1 chess player GM Wesley So scored 7.5 in 13 rounds to settle for fourth top spot in Corus Chess 2010 Group B in the Netherlands.

Seeded No.6, So's Round 11 loss to the eventual champion, GM Anish Giri, and his draws against GM Howell and IM Anna Muzychuk in Round 12 and 13, respectively, proved costly not only to his tournament title campaign but also to his 2700-mark quest.

So was enjoying a two-piece up and time advantage against Giri in Round 11, but a “twist” of fate suddenly changed it all that shocked his whole legion of fans, including this blogger.

So was also enjoying the upper hand against Howell and Muzychuk, but opted to settle for truces which slightly dragged his Elo rating down.

The shocking loss to Giri as well as the ‘winnable’ draws against So’s last two opponents drew varied impressions from some quarters.

Some observers asked this blogger: “Ano kayang problema ni Wesley [What’s the problem of Wesley?]”

A very simple question indeed. But nobody, except GM Wes himself, could provide us the answers.

Overall, So gained 4.7 Elo points from this Category 16 event putting his live rating to 2660.7. He entered the tournament with 2656 rating. He finished the tournament with 3 wins, 1 loss, and 9 draws.
Wesley topping this year’s Group B could have been a sure ticket for him to face the likes of GM Magnus Carlsen in Group A next year. Carlsen, by the way, ruled this year’s Group A also with one loss.

I just hope that Wesley be invited again to Corus next year –not to play in Group B but preferably in Group A, banking on his considerable crowd-drawing charisma. Then and there, the whole world of chess can expect fireworks from the “Real Deal.”

hapit na bro

nagkurog nako naghuna huna uy

nagkurog nako naghuna huna uy

excited naman jud

nagkurog nako naghuna huna uy

maapil jud ni sa activities pohon2

maapil jud ni sa activities pohon2

gusto ko private

gusto ko private

private activity we shall

private activity we shall

mao lagi