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So draws with Nakamura in Game 1 of FIDE Grand Prix leg final

Sports

So draws with Nakamura in Game 1 of FIDE Grand Prix leg final

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Wesley So blew away his winning chances and settled for a draw in the first of his two-game title duel with fellow American Hikaru Nakamura in the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin, Germany Saturday.

Photo from FIDE's Twitter account

The two-time US Open champion halved the point with Nakamura after 30 moves of a Nimzo-Indian game in a match that could have gained him the advantage in this tournament.

The reigning Fischer-Random king will have a chance to accomplish what he failed to do in the first game when he plays back against Nakamura in the crucial match Sunday (early Monday in Manila).

If it ends up in another standoff, the two will play a two-game tiebreaker using rapid time control.

So will finish third overall here regardless of the final result in this leg while Nakamura was already assured of the overall title and one of the two spots to the Candidates Tournament slated June 16 to July 7 in Madrid, Spain.

The Candidates would determine who would be the worthy challenger to reigning world classical champion Magnus Carslen’s throne.

So made it this far by edging the fellow American Sam Shankland for a spot in the semis and Iran’s Amin Tabatabaei for a place in the finale.

Related Tags

Wesley So fide grand prix series

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