By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Wesley So saw his sensational run come to a crashing halt as he fell to Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, 2.5-1.5, in the first set of their best-of-three semifinal duel in the Champions Chess Tour Finals in Toronto, Canada on Thursday, Dec. 14.
The Cavite-born So, who now plays for the United States, won the first of their four-game match but scored just half a point the rest of the way against his 18-year-old rival that has started to get a reputation as the “comeback kid.”
Ironically, it was So who chose Abdusattorov as his semis opponent as a privilege for finishing first in the elimination round.
It was actually the most logical choice since the other choices were five-time world champion and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and former world rapid champion Fabiana Caruana of the United States.
So has also beaten Abdusattorov in match plays a number of times.
But not this time, though, as Abdusattorov proved he’s no easy custome as he came back from a first game defeat by carving out two straight victories while holding So to a draw in the fourth and last game to snatch the set win.
“This is my first match win against Wesley, it feels great,” said the ecstatic Uzbek Grandmaster.
However, isn’t the end of the road for So as he is expected to go for victory in the second set, which is another four-game duel, on Friday, Dec. 15, in order to force a deciding set.
In the other semis, Carlsen outwitted Caruana in Armageddon, 3-2, to gain the early upper hand.
