GM WESLEY SO TO PLAY IN CORUS B NEXT MONTH IN NETHERLANDS

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES---ANOTHER new challenge await for RP’s brightest hope Wesley Barbasa So next month.

After a magnificent performance in this year’s World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia after subduing World No. 12 GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in Round 2 and World Chess Cup last year’s titlist GM Gata Kamsky of the US in Round 3, 16-year-old Bacoor Cavite whiz kid will compete with some of the world renowned players in the forthcoming 72nd Corus chess tournament, an elite event in the Fide calendar, will be held in Wijk Aan Zee, a North Sea resort in the Netherlands on January 15 to 31, 2010.

His run came to a halt when he was defeated by Russian super GM Vladimir Malakhov (ELO 2706) in the fourth round. He gained 15 points and his live rating is now 2655.

So’s fourth-round finish is arguably the country’s best showing in World Chess Cup history, surpassing the efforts of his compatriots GMs Rogelio Antonio, Darwin Laylo and Mark Paragua (who competed in the 2005 edition of the tournament).

Participants in Corus Group B (all GMs) are Ni Hua of China, Arkadij Naiditsch of Germany; Emil Sutovsky of Israel, Pentala Harikrishna of India, Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu of Romania, Varuzhan Akobian of the USA, David Howell of England, Parimarjan Negi of India, Tomi Nyback of Finland, Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia, and Erwin l’Ami, Dimitri Reinderman and Anish Giri of the Netherlands.

There are three sections in tough Corus chess—A, B and C, according to chess columnist Frank “Boy” Pestano. “Wesley has been invited to play in Group B. To be invited to Corus is like to be invited to the White House.” He added.

So earlier said he will be working to achieve Hydra GM status by breaking the 2700 ELO barrier.

"I dream that sooner or later, I will come to the magical point 2700. I don't know how much time I will need for that," said the 2009 Corus Group C champion So, whose local and international campaign is being supported by NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. and Filway Marketings Inc. CEO/President Hector “Chito” Tagaysay.

Eugene Torre, the Asia’s First grandmaster who often compares Wesley So to Bobby Fisher, has stated for a local radio program, "The talent and skills are already there and he has proven that. This year could be a test of character and nerves for him because everybody knows him already."

In Corus Group A participants (all GMs) are Viswanathan Anand of India, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, Peter Leko of Hungary, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, Hikaru Nakamura of USA, Alexei Shirov of Spain, Sergey Karjakin of Russia (winner of Corus A last year), Leinier Dominguez Perez of Cuba, Nigel Short of England, Sergey Tiviakov of Netherlands, Fabiano Caruana of Italy (winner of Corus B last year), and Loek van Wely and Jan Smeets of the Netherlands.