Wesley So finishes runner-up to Magnus Carlsen in Champions Chess Tour Finals

MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So dropped his last game against the Netherlands’ Anish Giri via Armageddon, but still salvaged second place in the 2022 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Finals in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, November 20 (Monday, November 21, Manila time).

The Cavite-born So wound up with 13 points after seven rounds to finish behind world champion Magnus Carlsen, who completed a wire-to-wire victory by routing Jan-Krzysztof Duda, 3-1, in their final encounter and posting 20 points.

Le Quang Liem dumped Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 3-1, to clinch third place in the eight-man tournament that capped this year’s Champions Tour, where Carlsen also emerged overall champion.

So and Giri, who ended up last in the $210,000 event with 6 points, drew their first four games and split the tiebreakers following a win by So in the first and a victory by Giri in the second.

Giri pounced on a blunder by So to prevail after 57 moves in the Armageddon, although he still landed in the cellar with Mamedyarov.

Still, it was a fine performance by So, who made his first appearance in the Tour after topping last week’s Global Chess Championship and bagging $200,000.

After dropping his first two matches against Carlsen and Le, So rebounded by disposing of Indian sensations Arjun Erigaisi and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Mamedyarov, and Duda. – Rappler.com