MANILA, Philippines – Philippine-born United States bet Wesley So delivered two crucial wins in the last two rounds in the rapid event to zoom to the top spot of the US$250,000 (Php12.5 million) Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament Thursday night.
Two points behind world champion Magnus Carlsen entering the last two rounds, So, 26, turned it around by beating Armenian Levon Aronian and Indian Pentala Harikrishna to rule the rapid event with 13 points as against the former’s 12.
So hopes to keep his stranglehold of the lead as the event set at press time and on Saturday.
A win in the rapid was worth two points while a draw one while a blitz win is equivalent to a point while a draw half a point.
In his duel against Aronian, he turned what looked like a dead draw to a victory after So forced the former to blunder in a bishop-and-pawn against knight-and-pawn endgame
Against Harikrishna, So took advantage of the Indian’s weak back rank and translated it into a two-pawn edge for the win.
Now So, who finished fifth in the Fischer-Random side of this same tournament topped by Carlsen a week ago, would need to keep that same momentum entering the blitz stages.