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Born in Las Pinas, Philippines, Wesley So is a Filipino/American chess prodigy who attained the GM title at the age of 14 years, 1 month and 28 days. That made him the youngest GM in the world at that time. He was the Philippines' youngest ever International Master, youngest ever Grandmaster and the youngest ever National Champion.
Background
Wesley was only six when he learned the movement of chess pieces across a board. After memorizing them, chess set in hand, he explored the streets of his neighborhood daring people to play with him. At nine years old he began to compete in local, junior chess tournaments.
His first major tournament win was taking 1st place at the 2003 Philippine National Chess Championships for the under 10 age group.
So, was awarded his first GM norm at the Offene Internationale Bayerische Schach Meisterschaft, in Bad Wiessee, Germany. He acquired his second GM norm in the World Junior Championship (2007) in Yerevan, Armenia, and capped his year by earning his third GM norm at the 3rd Prospero Pichay Cup International Open in the Philippines. At the age of fourteen years, one month and twenty eight days, FIDE awarded him the title of Grandmaster, making him the ninth youngest chess grandmaster. He was then ranked strongest player in the world under sixteen years old.
In 2006 at the age of twelve years and ten months Wesley So became the youngest ever Filipino International Master and the youngest member of the national men's team to participate at the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin, Italy.
In 2007, Wesley So went on to become the youngest National Junior Open Chess Champion and won the gold medal on board one, at the World Under16 Team Championships.
So won the title in the Dubai Open (2008), "The Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup", in the United Arab Emirates, and set a record as the youngest winner in the 10-year history of the Cup. Later that year, Wesley So was rated 2610 and was the youngest player in the history of the game to break the 2600 Elo barrier, surpassing the record previously held by Magnus Carlsen.
In 2012 he emigrated to the United States, and in 2014 he officially shifted his chess affiliation to the USA. In March 2016, So received the $42,000 Samford Fellowship. (1) In early 2017, So partnered with veteran player and coach Vladimir Borisovich Tukmakov. (2)
As of April 2017, Wesley So is the USA's top player, as well as the #2 player in the world.
Rating and Ranking
Wesley So was the youngest player ever to cross the 2600 rating mark, 9 days before his 15th birthday, until 2013 when Chinese prodigy Wei Yi achieved the mark at the age of 14 years 5 months 23 days. In March 2013, So's rating crossed over to 2701 (the 92nd player to achieve 2700). In January 2017, So's rating was officially 2808. His April 2017 rating of 2822 makes him the 2nd strongest player in the world, behind only Magnus Carlsen.
Official Site
For more information please see: http://www.wesleyso.com/
Tournament History
2017 – USA • US Championship (2017) • St Louis
Winner
2017 – USA • chess.com Pro League • St Louis
Champions • St Louis Arch Bishops • MVP Wesley So
2017 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel (2017) • Wijk Aan Zee, Rotterdam, Haarlem
1st Place
2016 – UNITED KINGDOM • The Grand Chess Tour • London
1st Place
2016 – UNITED KINGDOM • London Chess Classic (2016) • London
1st Place
2016 – ISLE OF MAN • Isle of Man Open (2016) • Douglas
Tie for 3rd Place
2016 – AZERBAIJAN • 42nd Chess Olympiad (2016) • Baku
GOLD MEDAL TEAM
GOLD MEDAL THIRD BOARD
2016 – USA • Sinquefield Cup (2016) • St Louis
1st Place
2016 – SPAIN • IX Bilbao Chess Masters Final • Bilbao
3rd Place
2016 – BELGIUM • Grand Chess Tour Rapid & Blitz • Leuven
2nd Place
2016 – FRANCE • Grand Chess Tour Rapid & Blitz • Paris
4th Place
2016 – CHINA • 4 Game Match with Ding Liren • Shanghai
2nd Place
2016 – USA • Ultimate Blitz Chess Challenge with Garry Kasparov • St. Louis
2nd Place
2016 – USA • US Chess Championships • St. Louis
2nd Place
2016 – USA • Awarded The Samford Chess Fellowship • US Chess Trust
http://www.uschesstrust.org/2016-sa.
2016 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess Event • Wijk Aan Zee
4th Place
2015 – SPAIN • Bilbao Chess Masters • Bilbao
1st Place – Champion
2015 – USA • Millionaire Chess • Las Vegas
5th Place – Open
2015 – AZERBAIJAN • World Chess Cup • Baku
4th Round
2015 – USA • Sinquefield Cup (2015) • St. Louis
10th Place
2015 – TURKEY • Turkish Super League • Izmit
2nd Place
2015 – GERMANY • Sparkassen Chess Meeting • Dortmund
2nd Place
2015 – CZECH REPUBLIC • Cez Chess Trophy 4 Game Match • Prague
1st Place
2015 – FRANCE • Top Twelve French League (CLICHY) • Petit Camargue
2nd Place
2015 – AZERBAIJAN • Gashimov Memorial • Shamkir
3rd Place
2015 – UNITED STATES • US Championships • St. Louis
3rd Place
2015 – IRELAND • 22nd Bunratty Chess Festival • Bunratty
1st Place
2015 – NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess Event • Wijk Aan Zee
Tied for 2nd Place
2014 – USA • North American Open • Las Vegas
Open Section Champion
2014 – USA • US Chess League Champions • St. Louis
Board One
2014 – USA • Millionaire Chess • Las Vegas
1st Place Grand Prize Winner
2014 – USA • 3RD Noel Skelton Open • Minnesota
1st Place
2014 – NORWAY • 41ST Chess Olympiad
Coach for US team
2014 – ITALY • ACP Golden Classic
1st Place (Rated 2755)
2014 – CANADA • 9th Edmonton International (2014)
2nd Place
2014 – USA • National Open Blitz Sectionals Las Vegas International Chess Festival
1st Place
2014 – CUBA • Capablanca Memorial
1st Place
2014 – USA • The Bill Wright Saint Louis Open
Tie for 1st Place
2014 • USA • Final Four of College Chess
1st Place (Webster Team)
2014 • NETHERLANDS • Tata Steel Chess – Wijk Aan Zee
Tie for 4th place
2013 – USA • Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship
1st Place (Webster Team A)
2013 – TURKEY • World Chess Team Championship
Coach for U.S.A. Team
2013 – NETHERLANDS • 17TH Unive Chess Tournament Hoogeveen
1st Place
2013 – USA • 2ND Noel Skelton Open
1st Place
2013 – NORWAY • World Cup
Lost in 2nd round (64 players) knockout
2013 – RUSSIA • 27TH Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia
Gold Medal
2013 – USA • Las Vegas International Chess Festival
Triple Winner
2013 – CANADA • Calgary International Chess Classic and Blitz Championship
1stPlace – Classic
1st Place – Blitz
2013 – USA • The Bill Wright Saint Louis Open
Tie for 1st Place
2013 – USA • Final Four of College Chess
1st Place
2013 – ICELAND • The Reykjavik Open 2013
Tie for 1st Place
1st player from the Philippines and the 1st player in the 67-year history of American Collegiate Chess to break the 2700 rating mark
No. 2-ranked junior chess player in the world
2013 – PHILIPPINES • Asian Zonal 3.3 Chess Championship
2nd Place
Qualifies in 2013 World Cup
2013 – USA • Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship
Tie for 1st Place (Webster Team A & B)
2012 – USA • SPICE Blitz 2012
1st Place
2012 – USA • The 3RD Annual Thanksgiving Open
Tie for 2nd Place
2012 – USA • 2012 SPICE CUP Group A
4th Place
2012 – Chess.com’s 7th Blitz Match of Death • Wesley So vs. Ray Robson
Defeated GM Ray Robson
2012 – CANADA • Quebec Open Chess Championship
1st Place
2012 – CANADA • Toronto International Chess Championship
1st Place
2012 – USA • Charity Chess Match Philippine Consulate
Organized by the Filipino-American Chess Club of New York
Acting Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York, Eduardo de Vega, joined the other chess players.
20-chess players simultaneous
2012 – USA • 40TH Annual World Open 2012 – Blitz Championship
Tie for 1st Place
2012 – USA • 40TH Annual World Open 2012
3rd Place
2012 – FRANCE • French League TOP 12
Clichy members: Ivanchuk, Van Wely, Wesley So, vice Jakovenko, Nispeanu and Maze
Emerged 2012 champion – undefeated in 10 games
2012 – VIETNAM • 11TH Asian Individual Open/Blitz Chess Championships
Undefeated in 18 games, 9 in the main event, and 9 in the Blitz Championship
First place – Blitz
2012 – USA • The 28TH North American Masters: Georg Meier vs. Wesley So
4 game classical match followed by 4 game rapid match (Tie)
2011 – INDONESIA • 26TH Southeast Asian Games
Gold Medal – Finished undefeated with 9 points in the Blitz chess competition
Silver Medal – Individual Standard
2011 – INDIA • Airports Authority of India Intl. Grandmasters Chess Tournament
5 points 4th place
2011 – INDONESIA • 17TH Asian Cities Chess Team Championship
Tie for 2nd
2011 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters
Place
2011 – SPAIN • Training with World’s #1 Chess player GM Magnus Carlsen
GM Magnus Carlsen
2011 – RUSSIA • Qualifying World Blitz
5th place/ 194-player field. Qualified for World Blitz
2011 – NETHERLANDS • 73rd Corus Chess, Grandmasters Group B Tata Steel
4th place
2010 – CHINA • The 16TH Asian Games
Silver Medal for Team Philippines
2010 – USA • 2010 SPICE CUP Group A
Tie for 2nd Place
2010 – RUSSIA • 39TH World Chess Olympiad 2010
RP Team: Rank 50th (149 teams)
2010 – PHILIPPINES • Campomanes Memorial Cup
7th place
2010 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters
1st Place
2010 – NETHERLANDS • NH Chess Tournament Rising Stars vs Experience
Rising stars 26 (1st)
Experience 24
2010 – SWITZERLAND • 2010 Biel Young Grandmasters Chess Championship
5th Place
2010 – PHILIPPINES • 2010 ASIAN Continental Chess Championships
2nd Place
Qualify for World Cup
2010 – RUSSIA • World Blitz Championship Prelim
62nd place / 156-player field
2010 – RUSSIA • Aeroflot Open 2010, Group A1
Top Junior Award
11th place / 80-player field
2010 – NETHERLANDS • 72ND Corus Chess 2010, Grandmasters Group B
5th Place
2009 – RUSSIA •2009 World Chess Cup
Final 16
Defeated Gadir Guseinov and had victories over former world championship contenders Vassily Ivanchuk (ELO 2739) and Gata Kamsky (ELO 2695)
2009 – USA • Spice Cup Group A
Tie for 2nd Place
2009 – USA • 30-Board Simul with Fresno Chess Club
30-0
2009 – VIETNAM • Zone 3.3 Fide World Chess Championship
Medal: Silver
2nd Place
Qualify for World Cup
2009 – PHILIPPINES • Asian Continental Chess Open Championship
Rank: 21st place (85 players)
Tie for 4th Place
2009 – CHINA • Chinese Chess League (for Bank of Qingdao Team)
Team: Rank 9 Scored 4/6
2009 – Philippines • Battle of Grandmasters
1st Place
2009 – RUSSIA • Aeroflot Open 2009, Group A1
Top Junior Winner
2009 – NETHERLANDS • 71st Corus Group C (2009)
1st place/Qualified for B Group
"Beste Jone Talente" Award
2008 – UAE • 1ST Asian Chess Club Championship
Individual: Board 1 Gold Medalist
Team: 4th place
2008 – GERMANY • 38TH World Chess Olympiad 2008
RP Team: Rank 46th (100 teams)
Best Olympiad performer in RP
2008 – PHILIPPINES • 4TH Pichay Cup International Open
Tie for 3rd Place (68 players)
Ranked 5th
2008 – PHILIPPINES • 3RD President GMA Cup International Open
Tie for 5th Place (72 players)
2008 – VIETNAM • 1ST Dragon Capital Chess Open/1ST ASEAN Grand Prix
Tie for 2nd (30 players)
2nd in ASEAN Grand Prix
Team: 3rd Place (26 teams)
2008 – TURKEY • World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad
Individual: Gold Medal
Team: 3rd Place (26 teams)
2008 – TURKEY • World Junior Chess Championship
9th Place (109 players)
Tie for 8th — 14th Place
2008 – PHILIPPINES • 1ST Subic Bay International Open Chess Championship
2nd Place
2008 – PHILIPPINES • 2ND Philippine Open International Chess Championship
10th Place (73 players)
2008 – INDONESIA • 2008 Japfa Chess Festival
1st Place
2008 – UAE • 10TH Dubai Open Chess Championship
1st Place
2008 – PHILIPPINES • Battle of Grandmasters
1st Place
2008 – INDONESIA • Asean Masters Chess Circuit 2008 GM Tournament A
4th Place
2007 – PHILIPPINES • 3RD Pichay Cup International Open
5th Place
3rd GM Norm
World’s 7th Youngest GM at 14 years old
Youngest Filipino GM in their history
2007 – PHILIPPINES • 2ND President GMA CUP International Open
9th Place (64 participants)
2007 – MACAU • 2ND Asian Indoor Games (participated by 32 countries)
Team Rapid Chess: 4th Place
Team Classical Chess: 7th Place
Team Blitz Chess: 6th Place
2007 – ARMENIA • World Junior Chess Championship
2nd GM Norm
Tie for 6th Place
2007 – PHILIPPINES • The 6TH Asian Individual Chess Championship
Tie for 5th Place
2007 – SINGAPORE • World Youth U-16 Chess Olympiad
Individual: Gold Medal
Team: 3rd Place
2007 – PHILIPPINES • Philippine Open International Chess Championship
Rank 15th
2007 – IRAN • 15th Asian Cities Chess Champion
Team: 2nd (Silver Medal)
Individual: Gold Medal for Performance Rating and Percentage Score
2007 – VIETNAM • Fide (Zone 3.3) World Chess Championship
Tie for 3rd Place
2006 – SINGAPORE • 3rd Masters International Open Chess Tournament
Tie for 4th Place (99 Players)
2006 – PHILIPPINES • 1ST President GMA Cup International Chess Tournament
Top Juniors
Tie for 6th Place
2006 – GERMANY • Offene Internationale Bayerische Shach Meisterschaft
Tie for 2nd Place
1st GM Norm
Creativity
Award: Chosen by Russian Website e3e5
2006 – SPAIN • III Festival de Ajedrez Open Internacionale
BEST Under 16 Blitz
2006 – MALAYSIA • 3rd IGB Dato’ Arthur Tan Open Chess Championship
BEST Under-16 Player 3RD International Master Norm
2006 – ITALY • 2ND San Marino Open Internationale di Scacchi
BEST Under-16 Player – 2nd IM Norm
2006 – ITALY • 37TH World Chess Olympiad
Youngest RP Olympian
2006 – UAE • 8TH Dubai Open Chess Championship
1st IM Norm
2005 – SINGAPORE • Masters/Challengers Int’l. Open Tournament
BEST Under-12 Player
2005 – FRANCE • 12th Nice Open International
9th Place
2005 – FRANCE • World Youth Chess Championship
TIE 1st Place
2005 – THAILAND • 7th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship
GOLD, "Standard Chess – Individual"
GOLD, "Rapid Chess – Individual"
GOLD, "Blitz Chess – Individual"
2004 – GREECE • World Youth Chess Championship
13th Place
2004 – VIETNAM • 6th Asian Age-Group Chess Championship
GOLD "Standard Chess" (Individual)
GOLD "Rapid Chess" (Individual)
SILVER "Standard Chess" (Team)
SILVER "Rapid Chess" (Team)
2003 – GREECE • World Youth Chess Championship
19th Place
1) https://new.uschess.org/news/2016-s.
2) http://en.chessbase.com/post/wesley.
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