So keeps on rolling

So crushes Dutch foe, keeps 2nd spot at Corus Chess tourney
01/29/2009 02:00 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Top seed Grandmaster Wesley So maintained his second spot position in the Corus Chess 2009 after defeating Roeland Pruijssers of The Netherlands in Round 10 on Thursday.

So’s victory was a follow-up to his win against Pruijssers’ compatriot Ali Bitalzadeh in Round 9, giving the Filipino his fifth win against four draws and a defeat at the De Moriaan Community Centre in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.

The victory gave So a 10-round total of 7.0 points that put the Filipino in solo second spot, half a point behind solo leader Tiger Hillarp Persson of Sweden, who defeated Frank Holzke of Germany.

So is also one point ahead of those tied in third spot composed of Anish Giri of Russia, David Howell of England, Abhijeet Gupta of India, WGM Dronavalli Harika also of India and Holzke, who gave the Filipino wizard the only blemish in the tournament.

So defeated fifth seed GM Friso Nijober of the Netherlands in the first round, No. 8 seed GM Eduardo Iturrizaga of Venezuela in the fifth round and sixth seed GM Manuel Leon Hoyos of Mexico in the sixth round.

He halved the point with seventh seed GM Oleg Romanishin of Ukraine in the second round, No. 11 seed FM Anish Giri of Russia in the third round, fourth seed GM Abhijeet Gupta of India in the fourth round and WGM Dronavalli Harika of India in the seventh round.

So will meet Manuel Bosboom of the host country as his 11th round opponent. – GMANews.TV