So climbs to No. 76 in world rating

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen-year-old Grandmaster Wesley So continued to raise the level of excellence when he reached ELO 2656 based on the Jan. 1 ratings released by the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

With his strong showing in the recent World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia where he eliminated former world championship finalists Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Gata Kamsky of the United States, So earned 16 points to increase his ELO 2640 from the November list to ELO 2656.

The ELO 2656 – the highest-ever achieved by a Filipino player in history – installed the high school student of St. Francis College at No. 76 overall in the world in a tie with GM Boris Avrukh of Israel.

So also moved up to No 6 among the world’s top junior players, two notches higher than his previous position in the September quarterly rating of FIDE.

The Filipino trails only GM Magnus Carlssen (Elo 2810) of Norway, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Elo 2730) of France, Sergey Karjakin (Elo 2720) of Russia, Fabiano Caruana (Elo 2675) of Italy and Ian Nepomniactchi (Elo 2658 ) of Russia.

The multi-awarded campaigner from Bacoor, Cavite also moved up to No. 8 overall in Asia and retained No. 1 in the world under-16 category.

More importantly, So’s dramatic rise also enabled the Philippines to move up to No. 29 among chess-playing nations in the world – up by five notches from 34th in the previous quarterly list.

“I’m very happy for my achievements in the previous year. I hope 2010 will be just as good to me,” said So, who is scheduled to leave for Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands on Jan. 13 to compete in Group B in the Corus (formerly Hoogovens) tournament.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay lauded So for his newest achievement, saying his success in chess is a welcome gift to the country and the Filipino people for the new year.

“With So and the other Filipino players doing well in the international stage, the Philippines is also now No. 3 in Asia behind only China and India and No. 29 in the world. This only means that our chess program in the NCFP is now reaping its fruits,” said Pichay.

NCFP secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said So’s biggest contributions is “making chess popular again in the country similar to what GM Eugene Torre did in the 70s.”

Last year, So’s rating was only ELO 2627 in January 2009.

His ELO 2627 surpassed the previous high of ELO 2621 established by GM Mark Paragua in April 2006.

The rating steadily increased to ELO 2641 in April 2009 and ELO 2646 in July 2009.

The rating, however dipped slightly to 2644 in July and then 2640 in September before picking up anew during the World Cup.

Overall, experts described So’s rise phenomenal.

In January 2005, So’s rating was only Elo 2165.

He raised it to 2216 the following year. Then it became 2451 in January 2007, 2526 in January 2008 and later 2610 in October 2008.

So’s World Cup teammates, GMs Rogelio Antonio, Jr. and Darwin Laylo, kept second and third places, respectively, in the country’s list of top players.

Antoniio, who lost to Kamsky in the first round of the World Cup, has Elo 2572 – two points down from his all-time best of Elo 2574 in the November rating list. He is listed No. 34 in Asia and No. 311 in the world.

Laylo, another first-round loser in the World cup, increased his rating to Elo 2556 from 2552, good for No. 3 in the country, No. 41 in Asia and No. No. 394 in the world.

Also making it to the Top 10 list are United States-based GM Rogelio Barcenilla, Jr., fourth with Elo 2518; GM John Paul Gomez, fifth (2507), GM Eugene Torre, sixth (ELO 2506); GM Mark Paragua, seventh (ELO 2497); GM Joseph Sanchez, eighth (2490), IM Roland Salvador, ninth (2472); and IM Julio Catalino Sadorra, 10th (2466).

In 11th to 15th places are GM Ronald Dableo (2464), IM Richard Bitoon (2458), IM Oliver Barbosa (2452), GM Jayson Gonzales (2441) and GM Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor (2438).