Wesley So rules US online chess tournament, wins Php1.5M

MANILA, Philippines — The winning continues for Filipino-born Wesley So amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In the inaugural online chess tournament Clutch Chess Champions Showdown, So upset world No. 2 Fabiano Caruana to clinch the title.

So took home $30,000 (Php1.5 million) after winning the 11th of his 12-game final showdown with Caruana.

Caruana pulled ahead in the finals by winning the seventh and eight games before drawing with So in the ninth.

But the Filipino-born woodpusher caught up by taking games 10 and 11 to clinch the championship.

So and Caruana ended with a 9-9 tiebreak but the 26-year-old grand master won by winning in more "clutch games".

So's latest championship comes only six months after bagging the World Fischer Random Chess crown.