So is ready for the SPICE Cup

So plays Onischuk in SPICE
by Ed Andaya
Thursday, 21 October 2010 19:27

BEFORE the Asian Games in Guangzhou next month, GM Wesley So takes another major challenge when he takes part in the 2010 SPICE (Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence) chess championship scheduled Oct. 28-Nov. 7 at the Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

So, the country’s highest-rated player with an ELO of 2668, will be one of six players seeing action in the prestigious, category-16 tournament organized annually by four-time women’s world champion Susan Polgar.

The 17-year-old Filipino champion, who is making his second straight appearance in this double round-robin tournament, will open his campaign against GM Alexander Onischuk (ELO 2688) of the United States in the first round on Oct. 28.

“The SPICE Cup is another big test for me, but I’m ready,” said So, who is hoping to improve his fourth-place finish in the SPICE tournament last year behind GMs Rauf Mamedov, Dmitry Andreikin and Yuriy Kuzobov.

“This will also be another good opportunity for me to hone my skills before the Asian Games next month,” added So, whose international campaign is being supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay.

After Onischuk, So will meet GM Eugene Perelshteyn (ELO 2528) of the United States in the second round on Oct. 29, GM Ray Robson (ELO 2539) of the United States in the third round on Oct. 30, GM George Meier (ELO 2659) of Germany in the fourth round on Oct. 31 and top seed GM Zoltan Almasi (ELO 2707) of Hungary in the fifth round on Nov. 1.

The tournament takes a break Nov. 2.

So will resume his campaign against Onischuk in the sixth round, Perelshteyn in the seventh round, Robson in the eighth round, Meier in the ninth round and Almasi in the 10th and final round.

The multi-titled campaigner from Bacoor, Cavite will make his eighth major international tournament this year.

Here is the full article.