So eyes to breach 2800 barrier in ratings

MANILA, Philippines – Grandmaster Wesley So recently bolted out of former coach Susan Polgar's group and dropped out of Webster University to turn professional with hopes of becoming world chess champion someday.

“Reaching 2800 in the ratings is my main goal,” the 21-year-old So said in an interview at chessbase.com. “And I’m giving myself every chance to be the best that I can be.”

The goal he set should be in reach as So, who has switched to the United States Chess Federation after an ugly spat with Philippine officials, is now ranked 12th in the world with a current rating of 2762.

Under the guidance of Polgar, a former women's world champion and one of the best trainers in the world, So made an astronomical leap from No. 28 at the start of the year and peaked as high as No. 10 last month after topping the Millionaire Chess Open in Las Vegas where he took home $100,000, the biggest ever prize in a open competition.

Breaching the 2800 barrier will catapult So into an elite group of reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway (2862), Italian Fabiano Caruana (2829), Russian Alexander Grischuk (2810) and Bulgarian Veselin Topalov (2800).

And perhaps a chance to challenge for the crown currently held by Carlsen, his contemporary and former training buddy.

As first step to reach his goal, So will compete in the 77th Tata Steel Masters, a Category 20 event with an average rating of 2747 and slated Jan. 9 to 25 in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands.

There, So will cross swords with an ultra strong cast headed by Carlsen, Caruana, defending champion Levon Aronian (2797) and reigning women's world champion Hou Yifan of China (2673).

Also seeing action are Dutch Anish Giri (2768) and Loek Van Wely (2667), French Maxime Vachier Lagrave (2758), Polish Wotjaszek (2744), Azeri Teimour Radjabov (2734), Georgian Badur Jobava (2733), Chinese Ding Liren (2732), Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk (2715) and Croatian Ivan Saric (2679).

So finished tied for fourth to sixth place on three wins, six draws and two defeats in this same tournament a year ago and should go all out to improve on it.

He then went on a juggernaut as he won the Capablanca Memorial in Cuba, the ACP Golden Classic in Bergamo, Italy and wound up second behind Ivanchuk in the Edmonton International Open in Alberta, Canada in between.

And then the Millionaire Chess.