Wesley So is a Filipino GM-titled chess player. He achieved the GM title at the age of 14 years, 1 month and 28 days. This puts him as the 7th youngest person to achieve the Grandmaster title in the history of chess.[1] Before becoming a Grandmaster, So had become the youngest Filipino International Master at the age of 12 years and 10 months. The previous youngest Filipino IM had been GM Mark Paragua at 14 years and 8 months.

Brief Biography

Full name: Wesley Barbasa So
Title: Grandmaster (GM)
Country: Philippines
Born: October 9, 1993
Place: Manila, Philippines
Father: William So
Mother: Eleanor Barbasa

Early Life

He was aged 6 when his father taught him to play chess and was 9 when he started to compete in junior active chess tournaments where his aggressive style of play caught the attention of former Philippine chess champion IM Rodolfo Tan Cardoso. Cardoso said, “The young lad… would sacrifice a queen or any other pieces in his arsenal to get a winning attack.” Also according to Cardoso, So did not have the full sponsorships enjoyed by the other chess prodigies, saying “He cannot afford a decent training given by well known GM-coaches and has to rely on his pure talent, diligence and, of course, the Fritz programs before competing.”

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