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So beats Vachier-Lagrave to seize share of lead in FIDE Grand Prix

Sports

So beats Vachier-Lagrave to seize share of lead in FIDE Grand Prix

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Wesley So

Wesley So kept his world title bid alive as he downed nemesis Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France to seize a share of the lead in the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin, Germany Sunday.

The Cavite-born So punished Vachier-Lagrave in 56 moves of a Nimzo-Indian Defense to jump to the top of Pool C and join fellow American Sam Shankland with three points.

So will clash with Alexandr Predke, a Russian carrying the FIDE banner, while Shankland squares off with Vachier-Lagrave in the sixth and final round of group play at press time.

Ties will be resolved via blitz tiebreak.

So is in desperate need to claim the lone spot in Pool C to the knockout quarterfinal round and eventually win this tournament that would earn him enough Grand Prix points to snare the two slots to the Candidates Tournament slated June 16 to July 7 in Madrid, Spain.

The Candidates will determine the challenger to reining world classical champion Magnus Carlsen set late in the year.

And So is hoping it will be him getting a shock at the world crown.

The win was a rare one for So against Vachier-Lagrave, who owns a plus score against the reigning world Fischer-Random king and two-time United States titlist.

Related Tags

FIDE Grand Prix Wesley So

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