1. Wesley Barbasa So was born on October 9,1993 and is a Filipino and American chess grandmaster, a three-time US Chess Champion, and the first World Fischer Random Chess Champion.
18 Facts About Wesley So
1. 2.
Wesley So won the 2015 Bilbao Chess Masters, the 2016 Grand Chess Tour title after claiming victory in the Sinquefield Cup and London Chess Classic, the 2017 Tata Steel Masters and the 2021 Grand Chess Tour.
3.
Wesley So represented the US on board 3 at the 42nd Chess Olympiad, winning team and individual gold.
4.
Wesley So has one older sister, Wendelle Barbossa So, and one younger sister, Wilma Barbossa So.
5.
Wesley So took part in the ASEAN Open U-10s in 2004, securing individual golds in the standard and rapid sections along with team silver medals in the standard and rapid along with winning individual golds in the standard, rapid and blitz sections in the U-12s in 2005.
6.
Wesley So achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm on December 8,2007 at the Pichay Cup International Open, thus becoming the youngest Filipino grandmaster at the age of 14 and the seventh youngest to reach the title.
7.
Wesley So justified the move due to his family permanently settling in Canada, himself planning to study and permanently reside in the United States, and as part of a bid to boost his own career.
8.
Wesley So said that National Chess Federation of the Philippines disapproved of his participation in the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia over the 2013 Asian Indoor Games and he felt obliged to participate in tournaments deemed important by the NCFP such as the Southeast Asian Games over concern that he might lose financial support even if it conflicted with his studies in the United States.
9.
Wesley So defeated Grandmaster Ding Liren in Round 1, drew the remaining 5 games, and won in the tiebreaks against Grandmaster Anish Giri.
10.
Wesley So played for the Saint Louis Arch Bishops in the Professional Rapid Online Chess League competition, winning all four of his games two weeks in a row.
11.
Wesley So won 3 games and drew 8 in the classical portion of the tournament.
12.
Wesley So had an undefeated streak of 67 games starting in July 2016, which ended in April 2017 after losing to the Azerbaijani GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov who won the Shamkir Chess tournament.
13.
Wesley So recorded his first victory over Carlsen in a classical game in this event.
14.
Wesley So won his last 3 games to eventually catch up and tie with Carlsen for winnings of US$45,000.00.
15.
On Day 2, Magnus won the first game with the black pieces and Wesley So drew level the following game with black pieces.
16.
Wesley So won the first game and was able to draw the second, earning the first prize along with US$30,000.
17.
Wesley So cannot afford decent training given by well known GM-coaches and has to rely on his pure talent.
18.
Wesley So's playing style has evolved in recent years to become more precise and risk-free, relying on taking advantage of opponent's mistakes.