Wesley So through to semis of World Fischer Random Chess Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So advanced to the semifinals of the World Fischer Random Chess Championship after defeating Vladislav Fedoseev in the quarterfinals on Sunday, October 6.  

The event – which was played online – saw So polish off Fedoseev, 6.5-1.5.

So will join Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and world champion Magnus Carlsen in the semifinals on October 26 in Norway.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) runs the tournament. 

Eliminated in the World Cup, So will have to wait for two more years to challenge for the world title unless he wins the big Swiss System qualifier, where the winner will make it to the world championship. 

In Fischer Random, his chances for a world title are bright.

On Saturday, October 5, he overcame Russian Peter Svidler to arrange the important knockout match against Fedoseev.

So lost the first match in the quarterfinals to Hikaru Nakamura and had to defeat Svidler to be in the running.

One of the key differences between standard chess, which is what everyone plays, and Fischer Random is that starting positions are different for every game.

The randomized setup, as the late world champion Bobby Fischer stressed, would force players to think and not rely on computer engines to prepare. Thus, Fischer Random would give chess a new, fresh look.

Fischer himself unveiled the event in Argentina in 1996, but this format took long to take root.

In the Philippines – championed by Eugene Torre – very few Fischer Random chess tournaments have been held. – Rappler.com