SHOWDOWN: GM Veselin Topalov vs GM Wesley So

Thanks to the Chess Olympiad, it won't take a world championship for GM Wesley So (2668) to have a chance to play against former FIDE World champion (2005) and 2010 World Championship challenger GM Veselin Topalov (2803).

This is a rare opportunity for the Filipino phenom to show what he is really made of against a genuine world-class player who is now the World's number two strongest player in terms of Elo ratings.

Can a self-made player stand a chance against a big name who is known for having a great team as a back-up support?

Can Iron Chef take the place of big names such as Cheparinov and Danailov?

The encouraging sign for Wesley is that he's been playing rock-solid - no losses - so far in the 2010 Chess Olympiad. Another good sign is the fact revealing Topalov's vulnerability after losing to GM Bluvshtein Mark (2583) of Canada in Round 7.

The stage is set: GM Veselin Topalov handles White against GM Wesley So in Board 1 of Bulgaria vs Philippines match in Round 8 of the 2010 Chess Olympiad.

It's now up to Wesley to do his act.