Proud Fil-Am Wesley So grateful to PH legend Eugene Torre

Wesley So may be an American citizen now but he remains Filipino at heart.

Days after formally acquiring his United States citizenship, So posted on his Facebook page on March 7, Sunday (March 8, Monday, Manila time) a picture of himself holding a small US flag and citizenship papers.

The accompanying message read: “One of the biggest days of my life next to being baptized. I am now a proud Filipino American like millions of others. And like millions of others, I will not forget where I came from. AMDG.”

So, the first Fischer Random world champion and reigning US chess champion, also expressed his gratitude to Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, for supporting his career moves.

“Thank you Eugene for being one of the few Filipino Chessers who never had a bad word to say about me. Lotis (Key) told me that even before I was born, when you were a young man and used to visit their family house, none of them realized you were a genius but everyone knew you as a perfect gentleman, worthy of respect. It seems they also thought you were very handsome!” said So in another post.

These glowing words are no flattery, of course.

Before So came along, Torre was the national chess king and also of world championship caliber, being ranked as high as No. 17 in the world and earning the respect of the late Bobby Fischer, who became his close friend.

Torre was indeed good-looking enough to partner with Vilma Santos in the movie Basta’s Isipin Mong Mahal Kita in 1975.

Informed of So’s post, Torre was pleased.

“I’m very happy Wes (So’s nickname) appreciated it,” said Torre. “It’s very hard to become a world champion and all Filipinos must give him full support.”

Torre reached the quarterfinals of the 1982 Candidates matches, but it was in the Chess Olympiad where Torre made an indelible mark.

Still mentally sharp, Torre holds the record of 23 stints as a player in the biennial Olympiad and a total of 25 appearances, including 2 as a coach. Along the way, he clinched a silver medal on board 1 in the 1974 Nice (France) Olympiad and bronzes in the 1980 Malta and 1986 Dubai Olympiads.

In the 2016 Baku (Azerbaijan) Olympiad, Torre pulled off his best performance ever, winning 9 and drawing 2 for 10 points while manning board 3 for the Philippines. It should have been good for the gold, but Torre had to settle for the bronze behind So (8.5 points) and Hungarian GM Zoltan Almasi (7.5) points because he had a lower rating performance because most of the Philippines’ opponents were lowly rated.

Torre has been supportive of So ever since the wunderkind from Bacoor, Cavite, broke into the Philippine chess scene and later the international arena. Fact is, Torre backed So’s decision to transfer to the USA in 2014 and was unbothered when the US Chess Federation announced So has become a US citizen last week.

According to the 69-year-old Torre, it’s alright as So’s soul remains Filipino.

This was confirmed in another So post: “I am a Filipino-American. That means I am still a Filipino as well as an American. I want to be supportive of chess players doing their best!”

So, who was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world and currently joint No. 8, is reaching out for his dream.

If he succeeds, the glory isn’t all-American. So still has a distinct Filipino taste, and he’s now just a proud Fil-Am. – Rappler.com