Whisley the next Wesley?

MANILA, Philippines — Is King Whisley Puso the next Wesley So?

Puso showed that his name doesn’t only sound like that of So, the Philippine-born world Fischer-Random champion, but that he could also play like him following a sensational win in the Asian Qualifiers of the FIDE World Youth Rapid Chess Championship last Sunday.

The Sta. Rosa, Laguna wunderkind walloped Mongolian Batsukh Anand in the seventh and last round and then edged Chinese Xiao Tong (QD) via tiebreak to rule the Open under-12 division and clinch a spot in the elite world stage.

It was an exceptional performance for Puso, 11, one of only two players in the 37-strong field who came into the tournament without a FIDE rating.

Sharing the limelight were April Joy Claros and Michael Concio Jr., who finished second in the girls’ U14 and open U16, respectively, to likewise qualify to the knockout round.

But none shone brighter than Puso, who lived up to his name by showing a big fighting heart as he finished with an unbeaten record of five wins and two draws despite carrying a lower rating that most of the participants.