By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Grandmaster Wesley So will have a chance to prove his victory over world champion Magnus Carlsen was no fluke after they were invited as among the 12 participants that will vie in the elite Airthings Masters, the second leg of the Champions Chess Tour set Dec. 26 to Jan. 3, 2021.
The 27-year-old So stunned Carlsen in the Skilling Open early this month and they will have another chance to face each other again in this tournament staking $200,000 (roughly P10 million).
The two-time United States champion will also get to face Hikaru Nakamura, who beat him in the semifinals of the 2020 Speed Chess Championship a week back.
Also taking part are Dutch Anish Giri, Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, Armenian Levon Aronian, three-time world blitz king Alexander Grischuk and former world rapid champions Daniil Dubov, Alexander Grischuk.
Last year’s World Cup titlist Teimour Radjabov, Indian Pentala Harikrishna, Spanish David Anton Guijarro and French Maxime Vachier Lagrave are also competing in the event.
The season will culminate in a final tournament to name the world’s best chess player and win a prize fund of $1.5 million.
