Wesley So’s nightmare continues with 3rd US Championship loss

MANILA, Philippines – A tournament meant to showcase the talent of Wesley So has turned into a nightmare after he took his third loss in the US Chess Championship in St Louis Friday morning, April 10.

So, the Philippines’ top player who chose to represent the U.S. last October, fell once more to a lower rated entry after missing a chance to draw by perpetual check to tie for third to fifth places with 4.5 points. 

So’s former Webster University teammate Ray Robson, who beat the Filipino in the sixth round, is in second place with 5.5 points. Leading is Hikaru Nakamura with six points. 

The last time So lost this many games was in the finals of the 2005 national championship in Tagyatay when he was 12 years old and hailed as the Philippines future chess star. This has become a crisis of form as So is set to compete in the Gashimov Memorial Tournament on April 16 in Azerbaijian. 

With three rounds left, So’s most realistic goal is not to lose any more games as this would mean his world ranking will fall. Unofficial calculations show has lost 10.8 rating points which could pull him to No. 10 from his present March ranking of No.5. 

In losing to Conrad Holt on Friday, Robson and Samuel Sevian, So did not have his usual energetic style. His 35 move loss to Holt in a Grunfeld Defense did not have the imprint of one who has beaten or drawn several elite grandmasters. 

Computer analysis in several chess websites during the game showed that So should have begun a 14-move line where he would give up two rooks to force a draw by perpetual check. So, who usually doesn’t make mistakes in this line, would have seen this if he was in good form. 

A family member of So, answering a Facebook message from Rappler.com, denied that a reported confrontation between two relatives, saying So was the cause of his poor form but did not give any details. A post in the Facebook page Chess Philippines alleged that this caused So’s rare bad form. 

Now, all Filipino chess fans are hoping is for the US Championship to end without So kissing the canvas one more time. – Rappler.com