Source: ABS CBN NEWS
MANILA, Philippines – Teenage Grandmaster (GM) Wesley So returned to the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Top 100 with 2656 ELO points, the highest rating a Filipino chess player has ever reached.
So, 16, continued his solid performance to chess stardom as he barged into the elite world Top 100 at No. 77 due to his impressive campaign at the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
He dropped out of the Top 100 following a slight dip in performance in the middle of the year. He bounced back with a string of solid finishes, gaining 15.8 points and improving from 2640 in the last quarter of 2009 to 2656 in January 2010.
That catapulted him to No. 77 from No. 103. Boris Avrukh of Israel and Michal Krasenkow of Poland also have 2656 ELO points.
The chess whiz is still the FIDE-RP No.1 player, followed by No. 2 GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr., (2572), No. 3 GM Darwin Laylo (2556), No. 4 GM-elect Rogelio Barcenilla (2518) and No. 5 GM John Paul Gomez (2507).
The latest FIDE-RP ratings list continues with No. 6 GM Eugene Torre (2506), No. 7 GM Mark Paragua (2497), No. 8 GM Joseph Sanchez (2490), No.9 International Master (IM) Roland Salvador (2472) and No. 10 IM Julio Catalino Sadorra (2466).
The Philippines, meantime, climbed to No. 29 in the FIDE Country Top chess players list, with an average rating of 2524 points. The country listed 10 GMs, 25 IMs, and 58 titled players. Russia remains on top with 2727 average rating points as it listed 196 GMs, 460 IMs, and 1,932 titled players.
Impressive
So’s sterling performance in the World Cup, where he reached the Last 16, impressed a lot of pundits as he humbled the likes of GMs Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Gata Kamsky of the US.
He fell short of his quarterfinal bid after bowing to GM Vladimir Malakhov of Russia in a grueling 3-game tiebreak in the 4th round.
“I dream that sooner or later, I will come to the magical point 2700. I don't know how much time I will need for that,” So stated of his goal to be called a Hydra GM.
His current overall place in the junior category is No. 6. The 2009 Corus Group C champion is slated to compete in the 72nd Corus chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, the Netherlands from January 15 to 31.
Carlsen rules
Meanwhile, Norwegian Magnus Carlsen gained 9 ELO points to grab the No. 1 spot from former World No. 1 Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria who lost 5 ELO points.
Carlsen, whose second trainer is World Champion Garry Kasparov, now has 2810 points from 2801 last November. Topalov settled for No. 2 with 2805 from 2810 last November.
Indian Viswanathan Anand remained at No. 3 with 2790 followed by No. 4 Vladimir Kramnik of Russia with 2788.
Hungarian Judith Polgar is still No.1 in the distaff side with 2682. – Report by Marlon Bernardino
Wesley So Rating Progress Chart - Full Report
(Reference: www.fide.com)
January 2010 - (2656)
November 2009 - (2640)
September 2009 - (2644)
July 2009 - (2646)
April 2009 - (2641)
January 2009 - (2627)
October 2008 - (2610)
July 2008 - (2577)
April 2008 - (2540)
January 2008 - (2526)
October 2007 - (2531)
July 2007 - (2516)
April 2007 - (2519)
January 2007 - (2451)
October 2006 - (2411)
July 2006 - (2330)
April 2006 - (2254)
January 2006 - (2216)
October 2005 - (2216)
July 2005 - (2165)
April 2005 - (2165)
January 2005 - (2165)
as of 01/05/2010 6:38 PM
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