Wesley So reclaims top spot in Champions Chess Tour with Opera Euro win

Wesley So is back in the saddle of the Champions Chess Tour (CCT).

Trouncing world champion Magnus Carlsen again in their Opera Euro Rapid title duel on Sunday, February 14 (Monday, February 15, Manila time), So regained the top spot over 3rd placer Teimour Radjabov.

Though So and Radjabov posted 108 points each after 3 legs of the $1.5-million (P72-million) CCT, So was placed at No. 1 by virtue of his victories in the inaugural Skilling Open, also at Carlsen’s expense, and the Opera Euro.

Radjabov won the Airthings Masters, the second leg and the first major of the 10-stage tour, where So and Carlsen both made the quarterfinals.

Because of the bigger winner’s purse ($60,000) in the Airthings Masters, Radjabov remained the richest tour participant with total earnings of $73,500 (P3.5 million) thus far.

So was right behind with $70,000 (P3.3 million).

Despite his twin setbacks against So, also his conqueror in the 2019 World Fischer Random Championship, Carlsen ranked 3rd in the points tally with 85, towing Levon Aronian, the Airthings Masters runner-up, with 65, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the Opera Euro 4th placer, with 50.

Unable to make the quarterfinal stage for the first time, Speed Chess champion Hikaru Nakamura trailed with 30 points, followed by Russian No. 1 Ian Nepomniachtchi (25), Daniil Dubov (23), Anish Giri (9), and Jan-Krzysztof Duda (3).

Other notable participants like world No. 3 Ding Liren and world No. 7 Alexander Grischuk have yet to score points in the highly competitive online event for Super Grandmasters.

The Filipino-born So, now the reigning United States champion, is getting attention for his sterling play of late, dominating Carlsen – the only player to top the FIDE (International Chess Federation) rankings in classical, rapid, and blitz – like no other.

So also beat Carlsen in the first round of the Opera Euro, providing a glimpse of their finals tussle.

According to So, he will take a short chess break before going into serious preparation for the CCT’s second major slated March 13 to 21.

So knows he will be the marked man by then. – Rappler.com