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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Wesley So slows down in Saint Louis tilt

Wesley So slows down in Saint Louis tilt

Published Aug 13, 2021 01:02 pm

Wesley So (Photo from chess.com)

Wesley So failed to sustain a good start as he struggled in the second day of the rapid section of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Saint Louis 2021 in Missouri, USA on Friday morning (Philippine time).

The Cavite-born American grandmaster So settled for two draws before suffering an unlikely loss to fellow USA star Fabiano Caruana in the next three rapid games of the $150,000 (P7.5 million) competition.

So managed to find a way out of trouble and elicit a draw with the Black pieces against another American in Leinier Dominguez in 65 moves of the Giuoco Piano game in Round 4.

The reigning World Fischer Random Chess champion, however, was not able to take advantage with the White pieces as he was forced by Hungarian standout Richárd Rapport to share the spoils after 50 moves of Giuoco Piano in the fifth round.

So had the White pieces anew in Round 6 against Caruana, but a big blunder allowed the latter to snag a free Knight that prompted the current US Chess champion and former Filipino Chess winner to resign after just 24 moves of another Giuoco Piano.

With the outcomes, So, who tallied two draws and a win in Day 1, remained at No. 3 of the 10-player tourney together with Rapport, Dominguez, Sam Shankland (USA) and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) on identical six points.

Caruana emerged as solo leader with nine points while Hikaru Nakamura (USA) slipped to the second spot with seven points.

Peter Svidler (Russia) and Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) stayed at a deadlock at No. 8 with five points apiece while Jeffrey Xiong (USA) fell to the bottom with four points.

So, who went third in the Superbet Chess Classic in Romania and won the Paris Rapid & Blitz in France before skipping the Croatia GCT earlier this year, will take on Mamedyarov, Nakamura and Svidler in the closing three rounds of the rapid portion which will be followed by a two-day blitz battle.

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