When GM Wesley So loses

We all know by now that 15-year old GM Wesley So (2627) lost his Round 8 game against 38-year old GM Frank Holzke (2526) of Germany in Group C of the ongoing Corus Chess 2009 in the Netherlands.

It’s really hard to lose especially when you know that the whole country rests on your shoulder for inspiration.

It’s painful to lose when you know that you are a hero to a country which fanatically looks at you as a bringer of hope.

Wesley’ loss is not a simple loss. Wesley’s loss means death to a legion of followers who look up to him as a messiah of Philippine chess.

Wesley is no regular chess player. He is extraordinary – a very special one – for he embodies a country’s aspirations and dreams.

That’s why when he suffers a defeat, the whole legion of his followers die with him.

But I want to look at Wesley’s loss as a must-evil to transform him into a lot better player and person. That Round-8 loss will only make him stronger.

Losing reminds everybody that we are humans after all.

As the time-tested adage goes, it’s not really about losing. It’s about what we learn from our loss. It’s about how we recover from the defeat to be more victorious in the future.