By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
A month ago, I was asked to write an update about chess grandmaster Wesley So, the Cavite-born Filipino chess prodigy who is now representing U.S.A. in the international scene. I said, I will but probably much later. Now, here is that update. Some are not of the recent kind but still an update since they were not part of my previous pieces on Wesley.
Chess enthusiasts are familiar with the fact that Wesley So had already been ranked number two in the FIDE list of players, next only to the world champion, Magnus Carlsen from Norway. He had already defeated the strongest chess players, including former world champions such as GMs V. Anand, V. Kramnik, Ponomariov, and even the highly regarded G. Kasparov (but in a blitz game). Add to that list, Carlsen, the reigning champion.
So had already won several super tournaments where the strongest players around the world had participated. This led many to believe he can contend now for the world championship. But to be a very serious contender, So believes that he needs some guidance from a very good coach, although in all his earlier chess life, he was on his own.
When he started winning high level tourneys, people running the Frank P. Samford Chess Fellowship, the biggest, most prestigious, and most generous of its kind in the U.S., took notice. The grant identifies and assists the best young American chess talents by providing top-level coaching, strong competition and access to study materials. After due evaluation based on his chess talent, work ethic, dedication and accomplishments, So was duly awarded the Samford chess fellowship grant. With it, he received $42,000.00 for one year. Together with part of his already substantial winnings, he used the amount to hire a well-known and top notch coach in the person of GM Vladimir Tukmakov from Ukrainia.
Tukmakov regards So as having very high chess potential, and a very original player which means that Wesley is a creative chess genius, unlike many chess masters today who rely so much on analysis of others through the computers. Their association allowed So to zoom past the so-called Elo rating of 2800 where only 11 others before him can take pride of reaching it. Not even the legendary Bobby Fischer attained it.
Year 2016 was the year Wesley flapped his mature and very strong wing when he won 2 super tournaments in August (Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis) and in London (London Chess Classic). These twin victories allowed him to win the Grand Chess Tour of that year, over elite opponents that included Carlsen. He also helped the U.S. win the Chess Olympiad gold, the first since the Haifa 1976 Olympiad (when the Soviet Union did not field a tea). In the process, he also won the board 3 gold medal where our very own Eugene Torre also won a board medal.
After placing tied at 4th-6th in the 2016 edition of TATA Steel championship, the Wimbledon of Chess, So won a blitz tournament participated in by GMs G. Kasparov, H. Nakamura and F. Caruana. Kasparov, a former champion, is considered one of the best that ever played the game, while Nakamura and Caruana were then the two leading American players. Chess nuts raved about his performance. Let us hear what others said about his play, specifically against Kasparov. GM Y. Seirawan, a former U.S. champion said: “Wesley’s game against Kasparov will go down in history as one of the greatest blitz games ever played. I will remember that game for the rest of my life”. Kasparov himself perhaps paid the highest compliment on the said game when he said: “It reminded me of games Morphy played against amateurs.”
Wesley continued to display his super talent in 2017 when he won the TATA Steel Championship ahead of the world champion, Carlsen. He likewise won his first U.S. Chess championship over a star-studded cast.
After winning the 2016 Sinquefield Cup, So was interviewed lengthily. One of his secrets is that he is off the internet for almost two years, concentrating on his quest of attaining greater heights in chess. “ I have very limited internet in my life now, and I am alive, healthy and happy”, he said. He is in effect telling us, that we can succeed – and live without the internet! He even divulged that there is lonely one cell phone in their house, and it is held by his sister. Take a cue from Wesley, millenials and all who wants to succeed in life. Discipline is the key to success.
In answer to another question, he reminisced something. In his own words, “In 2013 I won a gold for the Philippines in the Universiade in Russia. Their first chess gold in like 50 years. The Philippine sport heads quarrelled over who was to get the glory for that win. In the end they could not agree so I was not formally recognized for winning it. It also came with a one million pesos award that I never got. I only received belated recognition for it in 2015. A nice politician convinced the senate to give me a plaque. But not the money”, said laughing.
The Washington Post, a very prestigious American newspaper do not usually feature a chess personality, even if he/she is already well-known. But the exploits of Wesley So was so glowing, and compelling that they could not resist to showcase him. In its Nov., 2017 issue it featured the quiet boy chess wonder from the Philippines. It showed not only his chess strength but also among others, his endearing character, his humble roots from the Philippines, his humility and much more. It also showed So’s ability to easily sleep anywhere even where it is not suitable. He is at peace with himself!
As of Nov., 2017, the Post clearly stated that Wesley So is not yet an American citizen. He still travels around with his Philippine passport. This tells a lot of Wesley’s love for his native land. According to the Post, “So is still a legal resident and not yet a U.S. citizen, even while playing under the U.S. federation.”
Wesley: “Well, I never thought I would be number two. But now that I’m here, I want to try to be number one. I’m not entirely satisfied with number two. I mean, I’m very happy to get there, but I hope I can reach further.”
According to Kasparov, “He showed great consistency and, bad news for opponents, he’s still improving.”
Wesley will be one of the eight finalists who will fight it out to determine the challenger to the world champion this coming March, 2018. Let us wish him well. His success will also be the success of our country.**
