Wesley So starts strong in top 2 at world’s 1st bitcoin chess tournament

Wesley So delivered back-to-back victories against two Russian opponents and drew against three, including world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.

Filipino American Super Grandmaster (SGM) Wesley So started strong in joint top 2 spot after day 1 at the FTX Crypto Cup of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, the world’s first bitcoin chess tournament.

The Cavite-born Wesley So is in joint second place together with fellow American player Hikaru Nakamura and Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with all three bearing 3.5 scorecards, a half-point behind tourney leader Dutchman Anish Giri at the close of the five rounds of online chess games on May 23, 2021 (May 24 Philippine Standard Time).

So won against Russians Alexander Grischuk and Daniil Dubov before drawing with world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway, Nakamura, and Alireza Firouzja of Iran.

So is vying for his third title at the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour after besting World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice – first at the Skilling Open Championship leg in November 2020 and more recently at the Opera Euro Rapid leg in February.

Crypto Cup standings show Wesley So at joint No. 2.

The former GM of the Philippines is looking to regain his solo lead of the tour where he is ranked No. 2 just $5,000 behind Carlsen.

The Overall Meltwater Champions Chess Tour standings show Wesley So at solo No. 2 behind Magnus Carlsen.

The FTX Crypto Cup, the sixth and final Major leg of the 2021 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour season, carries a prize pot of $220,000 in cash and $100,000 paid in crypto coins to the winner of the 16-man tourney.

The Crypto Cup runs for 9 game days from May 23-May 31 and is broadcast on TV2, Eurosport, and online streaming platforms Twitch and YouTube across multiple platforms.

Wesley So is also currently sponsoring the ongoing first Reinforced Professional Chess Tournament in the Philippines named in his honor.

SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Wesley So as he starts strong in the top 2 of the FTX Crypto Cup, the world’s 1st bitcoin chess tournament.

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Source: Good News Philippines