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Wesley So reaches semis, meets fellow US bet Hikaru Nakamura

Sports

Wesley So reaches semis, meets fellow US bet Hikaru Nakamura

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Grandmaster Wesley So clawed back from the grave and snatched the last semifinal slot from the hands of Teimur Radjabov of Azerbaijan in the Skilling Open of the Champions Chess Tour Friday.

Choosing black in their “Armageddon” playoff where he was given a minute less of time but afforded just at least a draw to win, the 27-year-old So did just that as he forced repetition of move after winning a rook off a costly Radjabov blunder.

The result sent So straight to the semis where he will clash with defending champion and fellow United States bet Hikaru Nakamura, who also survived elimination by drawing a lost game in his Armageddon play with French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

The other semis showdown pits reigning world champion and top seed Magnus Carlsen, who made short work of Dutch Anish Giri, and Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, who needed a pair of playoff blitz game to turn back Armenian Levon Aronian.

“I’m very pleased with my play. Things went much better and to be honest, I didn’t expect to make it,” said So during a post-game interview.

“He wasn’t able to put much pressure when he had the white pieces, that’s why I beat him in the Armageddon.”

It was a come-from-behind win for So after he lost to Radjabov in their first of the two four-game quarters showdown.

He came back by seizing the second win to force a two-game playoff with lesser time control that also ended in a pair of standoffs.

It set them up to the final game where So just took over.

Related Tags

Wesley So Skilling Open

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