Wesley not giving up on Candidates

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine-born Grandmaster Wesley So vowed to make a serious bid in the next World Chess Championship cycle with hopes of earning a shot at the world classical crown.

“I am only 28 and I’m hoping that next year or in a couple of years, I will get a chance to play in the Candidates,” said So, who now represents the United States, after he topped the third leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin, Germany last Monday.

The two-time United States national champion missed the cut in the current cycle after ending up only third in the overall Grand Prix race that staked two spots to the Candidates Tournament slated June 16 to July 7 in Madrid, Spain.

The winner of the Candidates gets a crack at the classical title of Magnus Carlsen.

American Hikaru Nakamura and Hungarian Richard Rapport took the two berths with a top-two finish in the Grand Prix.