WESLEY SO (born Oct-09-1993, 31 years old) Philippines (federation/nationality United States of America) [what is this?] Born in Las Pinas, Philippines, Wesley So is a Filipino/American chess prodigy who attained the GM title at the age of 14 years, 1 month and 28 days. That made him the youngest GM in the world at that time. He was the Philippines' youngest ever International Master, youngest ever Grandmaster and the youngest ever National Champion. Background Wesley was only six when he learned the movement of chess pieces across a board. After memorizing them, chess set in hand, he explored the streets of his neighborhood daring people to play with him. At nine years old he began to compete in local, junior chess tournaments. His first major tournament win was taking 1st place at the 2003 Philippine National Chess Championships for the under 10 age group. So, was awarded his first GM norm at the Offene Internationale Bayerische Schach Meisterschaft, in Bad Wiessee, Germany. He acquired his second GM norm in the World Junior Championship (2007) in Yerevan, Armenia, and capped his year by earning his third GM norm at the 3rd Prospero Pichay Cup International Open in the Philippines. At the age of fourteen years, one month and twenty eight days, FIDE awarded him the title of Grandmaster, making him the ninth youngest chess grandmaster. He was then ranked strongest player in the world under sixteen years old. In 2006 at the age of twelve years and ten months Wesley So became the youngest ever Filipino International Master and the youngest member of the national men's team to participate at the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin, Italy. In 2007, Wesley So went on to become the youngest National Junior Open Chess Champion and won the gold medal on board one, at the World Under16 Team Championships. So won the title in the Dubai Open (2008), "The Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup", in the United Arab Emirates, and set a record as the youngest winner in the 10-year history of the Cup. Later that year, Wesley So was rated 2610 and was the youngest player in the history of the game to break the 2600 Elo barrier, surpassing the record previously held by Magnus Carlsen. In 2012 he emigrated to the United States, and in 2014 he officially shifted his chess affiliation to the USA. In March 2016, So received the $42,000 Samford Fellowship. (1) Briefly in early 2017, So had his first and last interaction with a regular coach unknown player. (2) As of April 2017, Wesley So is the USA's top player, as well as the #2 player in the world. Rating and Ranking Wesley So was the youngest player ever to cross the 2600 rating mark, 9 days before his 15th birthday, until 2013 when Chinese prodigy Wei Yi achieved the mark at the age of 14 years 5 months 23 days. In March 2013, So's rating crossed over to 2701 (the 92nd player to achieve 2700). In January 2017, So's rating was officially 2808. His April 2017 rating of 2822 made him the 2nd strongest player in the world, behind only Magnus Carlsen. Official Site For more information please see: http://www.wesleyso.com/ Tournament History 2017 – USA • US Championship (2017) • St Louis     Winner 2017 – USA • chess.com Pro League • St Louis     Champions • St Louis Arch Bishops • MVP Wesley So 2017 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Masters (2017) • Wijk Aan Zee, Rotterdam, Haarlem     1st Place 2016 – UNITED KINGDOM • The Grand Chess Tour • London     1st Place 2016 – UNITED KINGDOM • London Chess Classic (2016) • London     1st Place 2016 – ISLE OF MAN • Isle of Man Masters (2016) • Douglas     Tie for 3rd Place 2016 – AZERBAIJAN • 42nd Baku Olympiad (2016) • Baku     GOLD MEDAL TEAM     GOLD MEDAL THIRD BOARD 2016 – USA • Sinquefield Cup (2016) • St Louis     1st Place 2016 – SPAIN • IX Bilbao Chess Masters Final • Bilbao     3rd Place 2016 – BELGIUM • Grand Chess Tour Rapid & Blitz • Leuven     2nd Place 2016 – FRANCE • Grand Chess Tour Rapid & Blitz • Paris     4th Place 2016 – CHINA • 4 Game Match with Ding Liren • Shanghai     2nd Place 2016 – USA • Ultimate Blitz Chess Challenge with Garry Kasparov • St. Louis     2nd Place 2016 – USA • US Chess Championships • St. Louis     2nd Place 2016 – USA • Awarded The Samford Chess Fellowship • US Chess Trust     http://www.uschesstrust.org/2016-sa... 2016 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess Event • Wijk Aan Zee     4th Place 2015 – SPAIN • Bilbao Chess Masters • Bilbao     1st Place – Champion 2015 – USA • Millionaire Chess • Las Vegas     5th Place – Open 2015 – AZERBAIJAN • World Chess Cup • Baku     4th Round 2015 – USA • Sinquefield Cup (2015) • St. Louis     10th Place 2015 – TURKEY • Turkish Super League • Izmit     2nd Place 2015 – GERMANY • Sparkassen Chess Meeting • Dortmund     2nd Place 2015 – CZECH REPUBLIC • Cez Chess Trophy 4 Game Match • Prague     1st Place 2015 – FRANCE • Top Twelve French League (CLICHY) • Petit Camargue     2nd Place 2015 – AZERBAIJAN • Gashimov Memorial • Shamkir     3rd Place 2015 – UNITED STATES • US Championships • St. Louis     3rd Place 2015 – IRELAND • 22nd Bunratty Chess Festival • Bunratty     1st Place 2015 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess Event • Wijk Aan Zee     Tied for 2nd Place 2014 – USA • North American Open • Las Vegas     Open Section Champion 2014 – USA • US Chess League Champions • St. Louis     Board One 2014 – USA • Millionaire Chess • Las Vegas     1st Place Grand Prize Winner 2014 – USA • 3RD Noel Skelton Open • Minnesota     1st Place 2014 – NORWAY • 41ST Chess Olympiad     Coach for US team 2014 – ITALY • ACP Golden Classic     1st  Place (Rated 2755) 2014 – CANADA • 9th Edmonton International (2014)     2nd Place 2014 – USA • National Open Blitz Sectionals Las Vegas International Chess Festival     1st Place 2014 – CUBA • Capablanca Memorial     1st Place 2014 – USA • The Bill Wright Saint Louis Open     Tie for 1st Place 2014 • USA • Final Four of College Chess     1st  Place (Webster Team) 2014 • NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess – Wijk Aan Zee    Tie for 4th place 2013 – USA • Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship     1st Place (Webster Team A) 2013 – TURKEY • World Chess Team Championship     Coach for U.S.A. Team 2013 – NETHERLANDS • 17TH Unive Chess Tournament Hoogeveen     1st Place 2013 – USA • 2ND Noel Skelton Open     1st Place 2013 – NORWAY • World Cup     Lost in 2nd round (64 players) knockout 2013 – RUSSIA • 27TH Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia     Gold Medal 2013 – USA • Las Vegas International Chess Festival     Triple Winner 2013 – CANADA • Calgary International Chess Classic and Blitz Championship     1stPlace – Classic     1st Place – Blitz 2013 – USA • The Bill Wright Saint Louis Open     Tie for 1st Place 2013 – USA • Final Four of College Chess     1st Place 2013 – ICELAND • The Reykjavik Open 2013     Tie for 1st Place     1st  player from the Philippines and the 1st player in the 67-year history of American Collegiate Chess to break the 2700 rating mark     No. 2-ranked junior chess player in the world 2013 – PHILIPPINES • Asian Zonal 3.3 Chess Championship     2nd  Place     Qualifies in 2013 World Cup 2013 – USA • Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship     Tie for 1st Place (Webster Team A & B) 2012 – USA • SPICE Blitz 2012     1st Place 2012 – USA • The 3RD Annual Thanksgiving Open     Tie for 2nd Place 2012 – USA • 2012 SPICE CUP Group A     4th  Place 2012 – Chess.com's 7th Blitz Match of Death • Wesley So vs. Ray Robson     Defeated GM Ray Robson 2012 – CANADA • Quebec Open Chess Championship     1st Place 2012 – CANADA • Toronto International Chess Championship     1st Place 2012 – USA • Charity Chess Match Philippine Consulate      Organized by the Filipino-American Chess Club of New York     Acting Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York, Eduardo de Vega, joined the other chess players.     20-chess players simultaneous 2012 – USA • 40TH Annual World Open 2012 – Blitz Championship     Tie for 1st Place 2012 – USA • 40TH Annual World Open 2012     3rd Place 2012 – FRANCE • French League TOP 12     Clichy members: Ivanchuk, Van Wely, Wesley So, vice Jakovenko, Nispeanu and Maze     Emerged 2012 champion – undefeated in 10 games 2012 – VIETNAM • 11TH Asian Individual Open/Blitz Chess Championships     Undefeated in 18 games, 9 in the main event, and 9 in the Blitz Championship     First place – Blitz 2012 – USA • The 28TH North American Masters: Georg Meier vs. Wesley So     4 game classical match followed by 4 game rapid match (Tie) 2011 – INDONESIA • 26TH Southeast Asian Games     Gold Medal – Finished undefeated with 9 points in the Blitz chess competition     Silver Medal – Individual Standard 2011 – INDIA • Airports Authority of India Intl. Grandmasters Chess Tournament      5 points 4th place 2011 – INDONESIA • 17TH Asian Cities Chess Team Championship     Tie for  2nd 2011 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters    Place 2011 – SPAIN • Training with World's #1 Chess player GM Magnus Carlsen     GM Magnus Carlsen 2011 – RUSSIA • Qualifying World Blitz     5th  place/ 194-player field. Qualified for World Blitz 2011 – NETHERLANDS • 73rd Corus Chess, Grandmasters Group B Tata Steel     4th  place 2010 – CHINA • The 16TH Asian Games     Silver Medal for Team Philippines 2010 – USA • 2010 SPICE CUP Group A     Tie for 2nd  Place 2010 – RUSSIA • 39TH World Chess Olympiad 2010     RP Team: Rank 50th (149 teams) 2010 – PHILIPPINES • Campomanes Memorial Cup     7th place 2010 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters     1st Place 2010 – NETHERLANDS • NH Chess Tournament Rising Stars vs Experience     Rising stars 26 (1st)     Experience 24 2010 – SWITZERLAND • 2010 Biel Young Grandmasters Chess Championship     5th Place 2010 – PHILIPPINES • 2010 ASIAN Continental Chess Championships     2nd Place     Qualify for World Cup 2010 – RUSSIA • World Blitz Championship Prelim    62nd place / 156-player field 2010 – RUSSIA • Aeroflot Open 2010, Group A1     Top Junior Award     11th place / 80-player field 2010 – NETHERLANDS • 72ND Corus Chess 2010, Grandmasters Group B     5th Place 2009 – RUSSIA •2009 World Chess Cup     Final 16     Defeated Gadir Guseinov and had victories over former world championship contenders Vassily Ivanchuk (ELO 2739) and Gata Kamsky (ELO 2695) 2009 – USA • Spice Cup Group A     Tie for 2nd Place 2009 – USA • 30-Board Simul with Fresno Chess Club     30-0 2009 – VIETNAM • Zone 3.3 Fide World Chess Championship     Medal: Silver     2nd Place     Qualify for World Cup 2009 – PHILIPPINES • Asian Continental Chess Open Championship     Rank: 21st place (85 players)     Tie for 4th Place 2009 – CHINA • Chinese Chess League (for Bank of Qingdao Team)     Team: Rank 9 Scored 4/6 2009 – Philippines • Battle of Grandmasters     1st Place 2009 – RUSSIA • Aeroflot Open 2009, Group A1     Top Junior Winner 2009 – NETHERLANDS • 71st Corus Group C (2009)     1st place/Qualified for B Group     "Beste Jone Talente" Award 2008 – UAE • 1ST Asian Chess Club Championship     Individual: Board 1 Gold Medalist     Team: 4th place 2008 – GERMANY • 38TH World Chess Olympiad 2008     RP Team: Rank 46th (100 teams)     Best Olympiad performer in RP 2008 – PHILIPPINES • 4TH Pichay Cup International Open     Tie for 3rd Place (68 players)     Ranked 5th 2008 – PHILIPPINES • 3RD President GMA Cup International Open     Tie for 5th Place (72 players) 2008 – VIETNAM • 1ST Dragon Capital Chess Open/1ST ASEAN Grand Prix     Tie for 2nd (30 players)     2nd  in ASEAN Grand Prix     Team: 3rd Place (26 teams) 2008 – TURKEY • World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad     Individual: Gold Medal     Team: 3rd  Place (26 teams) 2008 – TURKEY • World Junior Chess Championship     9th Place (109 players)     Tie for 8th  — 14th Place 2008 – PHILIPPINES • 1ST Subic Bay International Open Chess Championship     2nd  Place 2008 – PHILIPPINES • 2ND Philippine Open International Chess Championship     10th  Place (73 players) 2008 – INDONESIA • 2008 Japfa Chess Festival     1st Place 2008 – UAE • 10TH Dubai Open Chess Championship     1st  Place 2008 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters     1st Place 2008 – INDONESIA • Asean Masters Chess Circuit 2008 GM Tournament A     4th Place 2007 – PHILIPPINES • 3RD Pichay Cup International Open     5th Place     3rd GM Norm     World's 7th Youngest GM at 14 years old     Youngest Filipino GM in their history 2007 – PHILIPPINES • 2ND President GMA CUP International Open     9th Place (64 participants) 2007 – MACAU • 2ND Asian Indoor Games (participated by 32 countries)     Team Rapid Chess: 4th Place     Team Classical Chess: 7th Place     Team Blitz Chess: 6th Place 2007 – ARMENIA • World Junior Chess Championship     2nd GM Norm     Tie for 6th Place 2007 – PHILIPPINES • The 6TH Asian Individual Chess Championship     Tie for 5th Place 2007 – SINGAPORE • World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad     Individual: Gold Medal     Team: 3rd Place 2007 – PHILIPPINES • Philippine Open International Chess Championship     Rank 15th 2007 – IRAN • 15th Asian Cities Chess Champion     Team: 2nd (Silver Medal)     Individual: Gold Medal for Performance Rating and Percentage Score 2007 – VIETNAM • Fide (Zone 3.3) World Chess Championship     Tie for 3rd Place 2006 – SINGAPORE • 3rd Masters International Open Chess Tournament     Tie for 4th Place (99 Players) 2006 – PHILIPPINES • 1ST President GMA Cup International Chess Tournament     Top Juniors     Tie for 6th Place 2006 – GERMANY • Offene Internationale Bayerische Shach Meisterschaft     Tie for 2nd  Place     1st GM Norm     Creativity     Award: Chosen by Russian Website e3e5 2006 – SPAIN • III Festival de Ajedrez Open Internacionale     BEST Under 16 Blitz 2006 – MALAYSIA • 3rd IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Open Chess Championship     BEST Under-16 Player 3RD International Master Norm 2006 – ITALY • 2ND San Marino Open Internationale di Scacchi     BEST Under-16 Player – 2nd IM Norm 2006 – ITALY • 37TH World Chess Olympiad     Youngest RP Olympian 2006 – UAE • 8TH Dubai Open Chess Championship     1st IM Norm 2005 – SINGAPORE • Masters/Challengers Int'l. Open Tournament     BEST Under-12 Player 2005 – FRANCE • 12th Nice Open International     9th Place 2005 – FRANCE • World Youth Chess Championship     TIE 1st Place 2005 – THAILAND • 7th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship     GOLD, "Standard Chess – Individual"     GOLD, "Rapid Chess – Individual"     GOLD, "Blitz Chess – Individual" 2004 – GREECE • World Youth Chess Championship     13th Place 2004 – VIETNAM • 6th  Asian Age-Group Chess Championship     GOLD "Standard Chess" (Individual)     GOLD "Rapid Chess" (Individual)     SILVER "Standard Chess" (Team)     SILVER "Rapid Chess" (Team) 2003 – GREECE • World Youth Chess Championship     19th Place 1) https://new.uschess.org/news/2016-s... 2) http://en.chessbase.com/post/wesley... Last updated: 2024-10-08 02:57:00

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page 1 of 117; games 1-25 of 2,914  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. T Pipan vs So 0-1 26 2003 Wch U10 B33 Sicilian 2. So vs N Galopoulos   0-1 53 2003 Wch U10 C00 French Defense 3. So vs Z Javakhadze 1-0 55 2003 Wch U10 B10 Caro-Kann 4. Negi vs So 1-0 34 2003 Wch U10 B33 Sicilian 5. So vs V Belous 1-0 41 2003 Wch U10 A07 King's Indian Attack 6. Swiercz vs So 1-0 73 2003 Wch U10 B33 Sicilian 7. Mark Ho En Tian vs So 0-1 31 2004 ASEAN-ch5 U12 B70 Sicilian, Dragon Variation 8. M Bui vs So 0-1 44 2004 ASEAN-ch5 U12 B70 Sicilian, Dragon Variation 9. So vs Md Omar Ak Hafizon Pg   ½-½ 57 2004 ASEAN-ch5 U12 B21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4 10. So vs Minh Doan Vu Hoang 1-0 35 2004 ASEAN-ch5 U12 A07 King's Indian Attack 11. Do Duc Minh vs So 0-1 20 2004 ASEAN-ch5 U12 B33 Sicilian 12. Ding Liren vs So 1-0 23 2004 Wch U12 A04 Reti Opening 13. So vs Caruana 1-0 27 2004 Wch U12 B21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4 14. A Rosell vs So 1-0 43 2004 Wch U12 A80 Dutch 15. So vs O Kanmazalp 1-0 29 2004 Wch U12 B21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4 16. F Firman Syah vs So 0-1 42 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 B33 Sicilian 17. So vs J Chung 1-0 29 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 B01 Scandinavian 18. Duy Linh Dang vs So 0-1 26 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 E41 Nimzo-Indian 19. S Neubronner vs So 0-1 25 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 B33 Sicilian 20. So vs Mark Ho En Tian 1-0 40 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 B01 Scandinavian 21. D Lo Kin Mun vs So 0-1 54 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 B33 Sicilian 22. So vs Y Chan 1-0 38 2005 ASEAN-ch6 U12 C26 Vienna 23. I Nyzhnyk vs So 0-1 33 2005 Wch U12 A07 King's Indian Attack 24. Robson vs So ½-½ 47 2005 Wch U12 B33 Sicilian 25. S Sjugirov vs So 1-0 33 2005 Wch U12 B30 Sicilian  page 1 of 117; games 1-25 of 2,914

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1075 OF 1076 ·  Later Kibitzing> Jun-02-22    louispaulsen88888888: I am noticing someone with the screen name Nina Myers really doesn’t like this guy So. I think Wesley needs an order of protection Jun-05-22    Albertan: Thé US Team for thé Men’s (Open) 44th Chess Olympiad has been announced: https://www.chessdom.com/wesley-so-... Jul-29-22    Pingkano: Goodluck TEAM PHI🙏💪 Jul-29-22    Pingkano: Way to Go Wes! Aug-19-22    Chessius the Messius: Go Wesley! Sep-12-22    supy: Wesley So against Kasparov and Nakamura in 9LX! https://www.chessdom.com/garry-kasp... Oct-09-22    joeyj: Happy 29th Birthday GM Wesley So !!! Oct-09-22    Chessius the Messius: Happy Birthday! 🎂 Oct-24-22    ndg2: Fischer Random WCC starts tomorrow. Can Wesley defend his title? Nov-07-22    GreenLantern: Congratulations for winning the first ever Chess.com Global Championship. Nov-07-22    WinKing: Congratulations GM So on winning the Chess.com Global Championship! You played some spectacular chess throughout the Finals. Taking home a robust $200K prize for 1st place & a very cool trophy as well. I enjoyed very much following all of your games. :) Good luck in your future events! Nov-08-22    joeyj: Cogratz GM Wesley So for winning the Chess.com Global Championship. $200,000 richer !!! Nov-10-22    tangledweb: Congrats Wesley!!! Feb-01-23    stone free or die: I read somewhere that Wesley was taught the game of chess by his father William(?) on a Narra-made chess set. I assume this is a common wood in the Phillipines and elsewhere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptero... I've never heard much about this wood, but googling I found this beautifully designed set, which I wanted to share here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67624... (Wish I didn't have to use pinterest, alas) Feb-22-23    Whitehat1963: Is it just me, or has So turned into the player most likely to draw in any elite-level tournament? Feb-22-23    Whitehat1963: And yet, in his three most recent games, he has three wins and three draws, better than usual. Maybe his style is to take what’s available without forcing anything. It kind of reminds me of Kramnik’s style: hard to beat, and if you’re not at your best, he will crush you, but if you don’t try anything unclear, you can probably escape with a draw. Apr-03-23    supy: Wesley So starts today in Chessable masters final https://www.chessdom.com/wesley-so-... Apr-16-23    Bobby Fiske: His player bio should mention that between 2019-2022, Wesley was the first RANDOM FISCHER WORLD CHAMPION. Apr-16-23    stone free or die: <Bobby Fiske> good luck getting any updates, edits, or even corrections into <So>'s bio here - it's been grandmaster-ized. (I.e. only GM So himself, or a delegate, are allowed to edit the bio. Since he's largely moved on from <CG> that's why his bio here effectively ends in 2017) Apr-17-23    Cassandro: His bio here is a joke. It reads like one of these official 'life stories' you read on a presidential candidate's official website or something, with glaring omissions and brazen self-promotion. I mean, <Wesley was only six..>, <After memorizing them [the movement of chess pieces], chess set in hand, he explored the streets of his neighborhood daring people to play with him.>. Come on, man! This can be all well and true, but the wording, the way this is framed, not an objective biography at all. And nothing about his affiliation with Susan Polgar and Webster for obvious reasons (they had a falling out). A complete whitewash. Apr-17-23    Susan Freeman: <Stone> Thanks for explaining this bio. It is a longgg story, but you pretty well summed it up. Daniel finally just said *let it be* Jun-25-23    MissScarlett: <Tarjei J. Svensen @TarjeiJS Wesley So saying he has promised his mum that he will never ever play a tournament in which Karjakin is taking part.> https://twitter.com/TarjeiJS/status... Jul-25-23    Nf3em: So, the rah rah rah boys finally abandoned this page?! Aug-30-23    Messiah: I am so sick and tired of Wesley. Oct-11-23    Check It Out: CG's quote of the day: <"Yay!!!!!! I cannot believe I won with Black!!!! Yay!!!! Hope I can draw tomorrow!!!! :)" -Wesley So> Is this for real? Source? Sounds tongue-in-cheek if true. Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 1076) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1075 OF 1076 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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