So bows out in World Chess Cup

Saturday, 05 December 2009 15:19 Merck Maguddayao

Teenage chess sensation Wesley So bowed out in the 2009 World Chess Cup last Thursday, December 3, in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, ending his giant-slaying run with a 1-4 rout versus Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Malakhov in the fourth round.

The 59th seed So (ELO 2604) lost three consecutive tiebreakers in the rapid game against the 22nd seed Malakhov (ELO 2706), after settling for draw twice in the opening games. Malakhov cruised in to the semifinals after the win with So and compatriot Peter Svidler in the quarterfinals.

Prior to his match versus Malakhov, the 16-year-old So defeated 27th seed and third-best American Gata Kamsky (ELO 2695) and wowed the tournament by beating sixth seed Vassily Ivanchuk (ELO 2739) of Ukraine.

So is the seventh youngest chess player to achieve Grandmaster status in history and is the youngest Filipino to earn the title at the age of 14 years and one month.

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