INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - If Math is giving you a headache, 15-year old grandmaster Wesley So offers chess as a solution.

So, the country?s youngest chess grandmaster, began playing chess at the age of seven.

?Chess is interesting because it?s an intellectual game. It helps me a lot in my studies especially in Math,? he said in an interview with INQUIRER.net at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

?If you play chess, you?ll get better grades. Kids in Singapore play chess to help them in their studies,? he noted.

An incoming senior student, So is taking up a home study program at the St. Francis of Assisi College System in Bacoor, Cavite. He is looking to focus more on his chess career after finishing high school.

At the moment, he?s on track to becoming the country?s premier chess player.

His latest win at the Battle of the Grandmasters (held in Dapitan City, Zamboanga) earlier this month showed his dominance over older and much-more experienced players, including grandmasters Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio.

?I haven?t thought about what course I would take in college. I would take a break from school after high school and then see what happens to my career as a professional,? So said in an interview a few days after his triumphant return from the Dapitan tournament.

His father William provides him the greatest encouragement. ?He taught me some moves when I was younger and I found chess interesting and I enjoyed playing since then,? he said.

At the age of 10, So won his first international tournament, the World Youth Chess Championship in Greece.

Since then, he has been racking up wins both here and abroad. He humbly stated he did not expect to win in Dapitan, earning him the P200,000 top prize.

A good opening game is what he personally considers his strength and a key to success. ?I work hard on the openings. I play for a win with either black or white,? he said.

At the Dapitan tournament, his shortest games were against Torre and grandmaster John Paul Gomez, the latter ending in just 25 moves. His longest game was against grandmaster Jayson Gonzales that ended after 67 moves.

So recalls his win against the Torre and considers that match as the most challenging. ?He is the most experienced player and he plays a solid game,? he said.

The young chess prodigy is hoping to inspire kids and cultivate interest in the sport.

?First, enjoy the game. It?s very important to enjoy the game. You will learn the value of hardwork, patience, and perseverance because a chess game takes 3-4 hours,? So said, asked to give a word of advice to aspiring pawn pushers.

Spending four to five hours reading chess books and playing chess using a software called Fritz, So said, has helped him a lot in analyzing matches, studying openings, and prepare for an opponent?s move.

Becoming the youngest Filipino grandmaster is just the start. His ultimate goal, he said, is to become the world champion.