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Wesley So eyes third title in Champions Chess Tour

Sports

Wesley So eyes third title in Champions Chess Tour

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Cavite-born Grandmaster Wesley So joins his first tournament since assuming United States citizenship when he competes in the Magnus Invitational of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour starting Sunday, March 14.

Serving as the fourth edition of the tour, the 27-year-old So aims to keep the overall lead against an ultra-competitive field headed by world champion Magnus Carlsen, whom the tournament was named after.

So is actually tied with Teimour Radjabov with 108 tour points each, with the Azerbaijan bet having more earnings of $73,000 compared to So’s $70,000.

But the former three-time Philippine chess champion got the lead following his victories at the Skilling Open last December and the Opera Euro Rapid last month, as well as a quarterfinals finish at the Airthings Masters last January.

France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the US’ Hikaru Nakamura, Armenia’s Levon Aronian, Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, Azerbaijan’s Shkahriyar Mamedyarov and the Netherlands’ Anish Giri are also in hot pursuit of the top purse worth $60,000.

Other participants are Russia’s Daniil Dubov and Sergey Karjakin, Iran-born but FIDE-represented Alireza Firouzja, Spain’s David Anton, Sweden’s Nils Grandelius and late qualifiers Alan Pichot of Argentina and Jorden van Foreest of the Netherlands.

Carlsen and Nakamura will again be the favorites although they are currently ranked third and sixth in the tour standings with 85 and 30 points and earnings of $40,000 and $20,000, respectively.

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Wesley So Magnus Invitational Meltwater Champions Chess Tour

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