Wesley making right moves in GM bid – Torre

The way he’s stamping his class on the chessboard, Wesley So could become the next Filipino Grandmaster.

No less than Asia’s first GM predicted So’s rise to chess prominence, saying the 14-year-old whiz kid has the skills and talent to make it to the elite club of GMs that includes Joey Antonio, Bong Villamayor, Mark Paragua and Nelson Mariano II.

"What can I say, he’s showing a lot of promise," Torre told The STAR the other day, referring to the Cavite-based teener. "He is the most likely player to become the country’s next GM."

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines, in fact, has prepared two Closed GM tournaments slated April 10-18 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone where So, with one GM result tucked under his belt, could become the country’s next GM.

IMs Ronald Dableo and Darwin Laylo, with two GM norms each, actually have better chances than So but both players were suspended by the NCFP for their involvement in the chess scandal, thereby hampering their GM title bids.

So obtained his first GM result in a tournament in Malaysia last year, barely missing clinching his second norm after he blundered what could have been a winning game against Russian GM Vladimir Belov in the final round of the President Arroyo Cup in November last year. – Joey Villar