Filtered By: Sports
Sports

So is now RP's youngest GM, world's 7th youngest


Wesley So became the world's seventh youngest grandmaster of all time and the Philippines' youngest at age 14 years, one month and 28 days, according to a statement issued by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) on Friday. So completed his GM norm by drawing ninth and final round match against GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran in the third Prospero Pichay Cup International Open chess championship at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque City. So, playing white, and Maghami agreed to a draw after only 19 moves of a Sicilian Deffense, Najdorf Variation. So accepted the Iranian's offer of a draw in less than two hours of play. "Masayang-masaya po ako," So said. "Magandang pamasko na ito sa akin." Overall, So finished with six points and became the second player to earn his GM title since former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay took over as NCFP president. Last September, Darwin Laylo earned his GM title by finishing seventh in the sixth Asian Individual Chess Championship held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City. "This is really a memorable year for local chess. We produced not only one but two GMs in a span of three months and we are confident we can have more GMs next year," Pichay said. Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, who's also NCFP secretary-general, congratulated So, adding the young Filipino's achievement is unprecedented in local chess. So, a sophomore high school student of St. Francis College in Bacoor, nailed his first GM result in the Bad Wiesse Open in Germany in November, 2006 and his second GM norm in the World Junior Chess Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, last September. The world's youngest GMs in history are Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine (12 years old and seven months), Parimarjan Negi of India (13 years, three months, and 22 days), Magnus Carlsen of Norway (13 years, three months and 27 days), Bu Xiangzhi of China (13 years, 10 months and 13 days), Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan (14 years and 14 days), and Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine (14 years, 17 days). The Filipino champion dislodged GM Etienne Bacrot of France, who earned his GM title at age 14 years and two months. Officially, So also became the country's eighth – and youngest – GM. He joins the elite list which also include Eugene Torre (1974), the late Rosendo Balinas (1976), Rogelio Antonio Jr. (1998) , Buenaventura "Bong " Villamayor (2000), Nelson Mariano (2004), Mark Paragua (2005) and Laylo. IM Julio Catalino Sadorra also earned his first GM result after drawing with Gm Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam , while Deniel Causo clinched his first IM norm following an upset victory over Laylo. - GMANews.TV

Tags: wesleyso
LOADING CONTENT