So crowned co-champ with rival Carlsen, pockets P2.25M
MANILA, Philippines — Cavite-born Wesley So won his final three games to emerge with World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen as co-champions in the rich $250,000 (Php12.5 million) 2020 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament Saturday.
At the end of the five-day tournament of nine rapid and 18 blitz games, So and Carlsen finished with 24 points apiece that earned each of them a whopping $45,000 (Php2.25 million) each.
But the 26-year-old So needed to buck a 12th round defeat to Carlsen by scoring five points in the last six rounds on four victories and two draws.
The four wins came at the expense of Leinier Dominguez-Perez of the United States, Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, Levon Aronian of Armenia and Pentala Harikrishna of India.
The feat was enough to overhaul Carlsen’s one point lead and force a share of first place.
So took a one-point lead over Carlsen after the rapid phase but the latter came back strong in the first day of the two-day blitz section to go into the final day with a half point lead over the former.
And it looked like Carlsen will win his second tournament after he reigned supreme in last week’s Champions Showdown Fischer Rapid also organized by the Saint Louis Chess Club in Missouri after beating So in the 12th round and building a one-point cushion.
It wasn’t meant to be as So willed his way back and caught up with Carlsen in a duel between the reigning world Fischer Random champion and current standard, blitz and rapid titlist.
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