Filipino Wesley So back in international chess supremacy

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

Wesley So is back as the world’s number one chess player.

After a dominant stint during the Champion Chess Tour Standings and the Opera Euro Rapid tournament, So reclaimed the world no .1 spot and overtook third-placer Teimour Radjabov.

So setup one of the most thrilling championship rematches after edging world great Magnus Carlsen and eventually clinching the Rapid title.

Although tying with Radjabov with 108 points-apiece in their total scores, So prevailed after winning more tournaments than the Azerbaijani.

Both So and Radjabov earned USD1.5-million (PHP72-million) after grueling legs of the Chess Tour eliminations.

So battled the best chess athletes and was tested against his arch-nemesis in Carlsen. Many favored the foreigner to win but the exceptional counter-play by So put him at the top of the pedestal.

The Filipino then bared that he will be taking a quick break from playing and will re-join for the CCT second major tournament.