Wesley hopes to bounce back in World Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Wesley So seeks to rebound from a forgettable stint in the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri last week as he competes against the world’s best in the Chess World Cup 2015 beginning Thursday  in Baku, Azerbaijan.

So, a 21-year-old Cavite-born player who has changed allegiance and will  represent the US, is out to atone for his dismal performance in the Sinquefield Cup where he wound up last out of 10 participants.

The St. Louis setback proved too costly for So, who lost 12.9 rating points as he dropped out of Top 10 in the world FIDE rankings to No. 12 from No. 9.

But So, now based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is expected to bounce back in Baku where he is seeded fifth in the 128-man field.

He opens his bid against 124th-seeded Parham Maghsoodloo, an untitled Iranian who made it to the elite event via the Asia-Oceania Zonal qualifier early in the year.

The World Cup features a format of two rapid games (25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment) per match.

So will be eyeing not only redemption and the top $120,000 purse but also his place in the Top 10 and one of the two slots in the 2016 Candidates Tournament staked for the eventual finalists.

So, in his fourth World Cup, reached the round of 16 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia six years ago where he stunned Gadir Guseinov, 4-1, Vassily Ivanchuk, 1.5-.5 and Gata Kamsky, 1.5-.5, one after the other before falling to Vladimir Malakhov, 1-4.

He  only reached the second round in two other World Cups.