Wesley So seeks to continue his winning streak as the world?s youngest grandmaster (GM) mixes up with top woodpushers in the 2nd Subic International Open Chess Championships which starts on Wednesday, May 7 to 14 at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center in Olongapo City.
The 14-year-old So, currently the highest-rated Filipino player with an Elo rating of 2540, is fresh from winning the recent Philippine Battle of the GMs Chess Championships over the weekend at the Bayside Hall of City State Hotel in Manila.
It was the third straight crown for So in two months this year following title wins in the prestigious 10th Dubai Open Chess Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the So-Susanto Megaranto One-on-One Showdown in Jakarta, Indonesia last month.
?I hope I could continue my good performance in the Subic Open,? said So, who is eyeing to surpass compatriot Mark Paragua's 2621 Super GM rating two years ago.
?Target ko maging Super GM,? declared the child chess prodigy.
But the player known in the chess world as ?Little but Terrible Pawn? will have to be at his best elements if he is to win the eight-day National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP)-sanctioned tournament.
In the 2nd Subic International Open, So will be up against some of the world?s feared chess players including GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore, GM Li Chao of China, GM Ghaem Maghami and International Master (IM) Mahjoob Morteza of Iran, GMs Dao Thien Hai, Nguyen Anh Dung and Le Quang Liem of Vietnam, and IM Zaw Win Lay of Myanmar.
Joining So to carry the fight for the Filipinos are fellow GMs Rogelio ?Joey? Antonio Jr., Eugene Torre, Buenaventura ?Bong? Villamayor, and Jayson Gonzales, GM candidates John Paul Gomez, Julio Catalino Sadorra, Richard Bitoon, Rolando Nolte, Fernie Donguinez, Chito Garma, Emmanuel Senador, and Roderick Nava among others.
Up for grabs is the total prize purse of $42,000 with the winner taking the lion?s share worth $6,000.
FIDE delegate Casto ?Toti? Abundo is the chief arbiter of the tournament, while NCFP director Wilfredo ?Willie? Abalos is the tournament manager.
