Wesley So is vying to win a Group Leader status at the FIDE Grand Prix Berlin 2022.
The Filipino-born American grandmaster is scheduled to face Sam Shankland to determine the winner of Pool C on March 29, 2022, at 6 PM Berlin time (12mn Manila time).
So is aiming to join the other Group winners in the semi-finals of the Grand Prix series. A win by So will send him to the semis match against Amin Tabatabaei, the winner of Group D. Meanwhile, Group A winner Hikaru Nakamura will take on the winner of the Shakhriyar Mamedyarov-Vincent Keymer tiebreak in Group B.
The three-time and reigning United States Champion earned the playoffs slot after he drew his last game against Alexandr Predke. “I underestimated his idea of Qa2 and Qa3, which was strong. My opponent just played very well today”, said So in the post-game interview.
The FIDE Grand Prix 2022 is a series of three chess tournaments and the final qualifier for the Candidates Tournament. Berlin is the third and final leg of the series.
Twenty-four of the world’s top players take part in the Series organized by World Chess.
The top two finishers will qualify for the Candidates Tournament 2022, which is the final qualification stage for the World Chess Championship 2023.
Wesley So won the 3-month-long Grand Chess Tour in 2021 and was the leading challenger to World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway during the 12-month long 2021 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. The 28-year-old Philippine chess champion is the inaugural and current World Fischer Random Chess Champion who bested World No. 1 Carlsen in his home turf, Norway.
SEND WELL WISHES in the comments below to Wesley So as he joins the playoffs for the Group Leader status at the Grand Prix Berlin!
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