Grandmaster Wesley So succumbed to Alireza Firouzja of France in the two-game blitz tiebreaker, 1.5-0.5, to crash out of the quarterfinals of the Aimchess US Rapid Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Thursday, Sept. 2.
The 27-year-old So, born in Cavite but is now an American, drew the first blitz game in 69 moves of a Caro-kann Defense and then lost the second in 33 moves of a Petroff showdown.
So actually looked like he had turned the tide after coming back from a 2.5-0.5 loss in the first of their two-set quarters encounter with a 2.5-1.5 victory in the second duel to force the blitz playoff.
But Firouzja was quick to recover.
Despite the quarters exit, So had already booked a spot in the grand finale next month as he is currently running second behind world classical champion Magnus Carlsen in the overall tour lead.
So would go to the grand finals with three titles to show—the Skilling Open, Opera Euro Rapid and the Chessable Masters.
He is also coming off from claiming the overall title in the Grand Chess Tour—an over-the-board standard tournament—that propelled him to No. 6 in the world based on live ratings.