WESLEY SO POST RP’S HIGHEST CHESS RATING; WORLD’S NO.64

Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 1:03
Other Sports News
Add a comment

FILIPINO Teenage Grandmaster Wesley Barbasa So continued his meteoric rise as he gained 9.3 points in the latest March 2010 RP-FIDE rating list to post the highest rating ever in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) list by a Filipino.

The 16-year-old Bacoor, Cavite whiz kid So, the seventh youngest in the world to obtain the GM title, gained 9.3 points in the Corus B chess in Netherlands and Aeroflot Chess in Russia to climbed up from his previous 77th world ranking last January to 64th this month with a total 2665 Elo rating points.

He is now the No.2 in the world in the U-18 (active players) category and No.1 in Asia in the same category.

“I would like to break the 2700 Elo barrier,” said So, who is fresh from winning the Aeroflot Open junior plum, who feted major award of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) during the Annual Awards Night last Monday at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel.

“I’m sure he (So) would have a chance to break into the world 2700 barrier because we have more international tournaments lined up for him,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines president/ chairman Prospero “ Butch” Pichay Jr.

Meanwhile, the Philippines slid two notches down to No.33 from previous No.31.

12-time national open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., GM Darwin Laylo, IM Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr., GM John Paul Gomez and Asia’s First GM Eugene Torre are the next top RP players with ratings of 2572, 2527, 2518, 2507, and 2506 respectively.

Despite obtaining his three GM norm under his belt, the former Asian junior champion and currently Arizona-based Barcenilla remains IM.

Mark Paragua, who reached the super-GM status five years ago landed at No.7 with 2497 followed by his coach/trainer Europe-based GM Joseph Sanchez (2493) at no.8, IM Roland Salvador (2483) at no.9 and IM Richard Bitoon (2476) at no.10.

GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway skyrocketed to his career-high of 2813 Elo rating to retain his No.1 world ranking in the FIDE March 2010 rating list.

Carlsen added 3.0 Elo points more to his January 2010 rating to solidify his hold of the No.1 spot.

GM Judith Polgar of Hungary still on top in the distaff side with 2682.

Carlsen (2813) remains at no.1 in the top 20 under juniors while Yifan Hou of China dominated the top 20 under girls with 2570.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO