Wesley is 5th in Biel

It's not that easy to be a Wesley So. It takes a superhuman to shoulder the aspirations, hopes and dreams of the Filipino chess community.

The genius in him deprives him of being a human, of being just a teener who perpaps still feels afraid to be alone at night, half the globe away from his family. The responsibility bestowed on his shoulder is so huge it encompasses the expectations of a nation which thirsts for a source of inspiration - all because he is looked up to as a hero, and that his nation has has a few good men who can cheer up the human spirit.

Don't forget that he's just 16 years old!

His 5th place performance in the 43rd Biel International Chess Festival is not that good, but not that bad either. No excuses. He finished 5th (2 wins, 2 losses, 5 draws), below the expectations of his legionnaires.

But despite his below-the-expectation performance, however, my admiration for Wesley did not diminish even by a bit. In fact, my admiration has continued to grow bolder.

Why? It's because it's the kind of him that makes a sport an enjoyable human pursuit. He simply gives life to a sport, not only by his romanticism with the board and pieces but also by his natural charisma to win the attention and the hearts of the chess community wherever he sets his feet into.

Did you know that this young lad was left by a plane on his flight for this tournament and had to travel by train instead? He just did that all by himself!! Can you imagine the emotional strength of this yound lad? After that unhappy incident, he was still able to impress the Swiss crowd by holding a 21-man simul, winning all of the matches, as if saying "I'm here, and I mean business."

He furthered his career in Biel, I tell you. He won the hearts of the chess community there, I can't be wrong. And the world of chess? Just wait, Wesley has just started his engine.

GM Wesley So's COMPLETE GAMES in 43rd Biel International Chess Festival:
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