MANILA, Philippines - Wesley So’s confidence-buildup for the tough Tata Steel Masters took a big blow when he absorbed a stinging 11.5-21.5 setback to fellow GM Hiraku Nakamura in their blitz death match Saturday.
Nakamura, the second highest rated blitz player in the world with a 2883 rating, proved too strong for his fellow US bet as he dominated their marathon showdown that lasted three hours.
In a match between the United States’ top two players, Nakamura was heads above water over So, whose blitz rating of 2721 is ranked somewhere outside the top 20 in the world, and won their marathon showdown early yesterday.
Nakamura beat So in their match using the 5/1 (five minutes with 1 second increment) time control, 6.5-2.5 on four wins, five draws and no losses as well as their duel using 1/1 time control, 10.5-4.5, on 10 triumphs, four losses and a draw.
So’s best game was a 4.5-4.5 deadlock in the 3/1 time control on four wins and same number of setbacks and a draw.