By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Grandmaster Wesley So defeated Teimur Radjabov of Azerbaijan to reach the semifinals of the Skilling Open of the Champions Chess Tour Friday.
Choosing black in their “Armageddon” playoff where he was given a minute less of time but afforded just at least a draw to win, the 27-year-old So did just that as he forced repetition of move after winning a rook off a costly Radjabov blunder.
The result sent So straight to the semis where he will clash with defending champion and fellow United States bet Hikaru Nakamura, who also survived elimination by drawing a lost game in his Armageddon play with French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
The other semis showdown pits reigning world champion and top seed Magnus Carlsen, who made short work of Dutch Anish Giri, and Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, who needed a pair of playoff blitz game to turn back Armenian Levon Aronian.
“I’m very pleased with my play. Things went much better and to be honest, I didn’t expect to make it,” said So during a post-game interview.
“He wasn’t able to put much pressure when he had the white pieces, that’s why I beat him in the Armageddon.”
Meanwhile, Philippines Team 1 rode on victories by Darry Bernardo and Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza as it downed Ukraine Team 1, 3-1, to climb in a four-team tie for second after the sixth and penultimate round of the 1st FIDE Online Olympiad for People with Disabilities Thursday.
Mendoza trounced Irina Zarubinskaya on board four while Bernardo turned a losing game into a win after Vladyslav Kolpakov was disconnected on board two that sealed the win for a share of No. 2 with Poland Team 2, second seed Germany and Ukraine Team 3 with 10 match points apiece.
Reigning world champion FIDE Master Sander Severino and Jasper Rom drew with International Master Oleg Tuka and FM Sergey Grigorchuk on boards one and three.
PH Team 1 was battling Russia Team 1 in the seventh and final round Friday, seeking nothing less than a victory that would propel them straight to the knockout semifinals.
