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So bows to Uzbek rival in first semis duel in Champions Chess Tour

Sports

So bows to Uzbek rival in first semis duel in Champions Chess Tour

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

Wesley So saw his sensational run come to a crashing halt as he fell to Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, 2.5-1.5, in the first set of their best-of-three semifinal duel in the Champions Chess Tour Finals in Toronto, Canada on Thursday, Dec. 14.

Wesley So saw his sensational run come to a crashing halt as he fell to Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, 2.5-1.5, in the first set of their best-of-three semifinal duel in the Champions Chess Tour Finals in Toronto, Canada on Thursday, Dec. 14.

Wesley-So-–-3.jpeg — Wesley So absorbs a loss in his first semifinal duel in the Champions Chess Tour. (File Photo)

The Cavite-born So, who plays for the United States, won the first of their four-game match but scored just half a point in the last three against his younger, 18-year-old rival that has started to get a reputation as the “comeback kid.”

Ironically, it was So who chose Abdusattorov as his semis opponent as a privilege for finishing first in the elimination round.

It was actually the most logical choice since the other choices were five-time world champion and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and former world rapid champion Fabiana Caruana of the United States.

So has also beaten Abdusattorov in match plays a number of times.

But not this time, though, as Abdusattorov proved he’s no easy picking as he came back from a first game defeat by carving out two straight victories while holding So to a draw in the fourth and last game to snatch the set win.

“This is my first match win against Wesley, it feels great,” said the ecstatic Uzbek Grandmaster.

It isn’t the end of the road for So, though, as he is expected to go for victory in the second set, which is another four-game duel, on Friday, Dec. 15, to force a deciding set.

In the other semis, Carlsen outfoxed Caruana in Armageddon, 3-2, to gain the early upper hand.

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