PINOY GM WESLEY SO WINS TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP; POCKETS $4,000

FILIPINO chess prodigy Wesley Barbasa So clinched another chess title by winning the Crown Section of the 2012 Toronto International Chess Championship. The 17-year-old grandmaster from Bacoor, Cavite formalized his claim to the title at the Annex Chess Club in 918 Bathurst St., Toronto, Canada held last July 15 to 20, 2012.

The tournament was played as a 7-round Swiss with 18 participants in the event organized by the Chess Institute of Canada. So finished with a total of six points on account of five wins and two draws, half point ahead of his closest rival IM Nikolay Noritsyn of Canada.With his latest victory, So top player of National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. and Tagaytay City Mayor and Secretary-General Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. went home the top purse of $4,000.

"The Crown Section, hosted by Chess Institute of Canada is a  FIDE Rated 7-Rounds “Standard” Swiss Event, was participated by 18 rated players (3 GMs, 5 IMs & 2 FMs) from 4 countries (Canada, Lithuania, Israel and Philippines). " said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.

" Winning the prestigious 2012 Toronto International Chess Championship is another good news for Philippine Sports." added Pichay, a former representative of the first district of Surigao del Sur in the Southern Philippines.

According to Pichay, So continues the Canadian tour in the Quebec Open Chess Championship 2012 which gets underway from July 21 to 28 at the beautiful venue College Brebeuf in Montreal, Canada.

Then So will head to Webster University - SPICE for his full time study, with a brief two week interruption to represent the Philippines in the  2012 World Chess Olympiad on August 27 to September 10 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Final standings:
1 GM So Wesley PHI 2650 – 6
2 IM Noritsyn Nikolay CAN 2460 – 5.5
3 IM Samsonkin Artiom CAN 2390 – 4.5
4 IM Calugar Arthur CAN 2273 – 4.5
5 GM Rozentalis Eduardas LTU 2600 – 4.5
6 WCM Peng Jackie CAN 1968 – 4
7 IM Gerzhoy Leonid CAN 2459 – 4
8 GM Sambuev Bator CAN 2542 – 3.5
9 Birarov Vladimir ISR 2169 – 3.5
10 Song Michael CAN 2142 – 3.5
11 Martchenko Alexander CAN 2245 – 3.5
12 Preotu Razvan CAN 2058 – 3
13 Ivanov Mike CAN 2035 – 3
14 FM Plotkin Victor CAN 2249 – 2.5
15 FM Campbell Brett CAN 2181 – 2.5
16 IM Panjwani Raja CAN 2392 – 2
17 Southam David CAN 2112 – 2
18 Yee Lorne CAN 2222 – 2

Here’s GM Wesley So’s round-by-round results:

R1:  15Jul :  GM Wesley So PHI (2650)  Vs  Michael Song CAN (2142) : 1-0
R2:  15Jul :  IM Raja Panjwani CAN (2392) Vs  GM Wesley So PHI (2650) : 0-1
R3:  16Jul :  GM Wesley So PHI (2650)  Vs    IM Nikolay Noritsyn (2460) : 1-0
R4:  17Jul : IM Samsonkin Artiom CAN(2390) Vs GM Wesley So PHI(2650) : ½-½
R5:  18Jul :  GM Wesley So PHI (2650)  Vs    Preotu Razvan CAN(2058) :  1-0
R6:  19Jul : GM Sambuev Bator CAN(2542) Vs GM Wesley So PHI(2650):  0-1
R7:  20Jul :  IM Arthur Calugar CAN (2273)  Vs GM Wesley So PHI(2650) : ½-½


By: Marlon Bernardino