Back in the top 100

Posted on 07:22 PM, December 27, 2009

Super GM whiz kid Wesley So back in world’s top 100

THE 365 days of 2009 are almost over but for RP’s brightest hope Wesley Barbasa So, he just started his phenomenal chess career.

This was after the World Chess Federation (FIDE) released yesterday the expected rating change for the 16-year-old whiz kid from Bacoor, Cavite, who will be back in the world’s top 100 players list next month.

His sterling performance in this year’s World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, after beating World no. 12 GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in round 2 and last year’s World Chess Cup titlist GM Gata Kamsky of the US in round 3, gained him 15.8 points and he is expected to climb to 2656 when the Jan. 1, 2010 FIDE-RP rating list is formally released in a few days. He currently has an Elo rating of 2640. His best Elo rating is 2646 in July 2009 then lost two Elo in September 2009 (2644) and four Elo in November 2009 (2640).

Mark Paragua, the 1998 World Rapid U-14 champion in Disneyland, France, peaked at 2621 in April 2006. Asia’s First GM Eugene Torre, meantime, had an Elo rating of 2580 during his prime in the mid-80s when he topped the Toluca, Mexico Inter-Zonal.

“I dreamed that sooner or later, I will come to the magical point 2700.

I don’t know how much time I will need for that,” said the 2009 Corus Group C champion So, whose local and international campaign is being supported by NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. and Filway Marketings, Inc. CEO/President Hector “Chito” Tagaysay.

So is invited to play in the Group B section of the 72nd Corus chess tournament on Jan. 15 to 31, 2020 at the Wijk Aan Zee, a North Sea resort in the Netherlands.

Here is the full article.