By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Grandmaster Wesley So, who is now representing the United States, drew all his four games, including one against recent tormentor Hikaru Nakamura in the fifth round, and stayed on top with five others in the Airthings Masters of the Champions Chess Tour Monday.
Despite the draw, So, 27, remained on top along with Nakamura, world champion Magnus Carlsen, Armenia’s Levon Aronian, Azerbaijan’s Teimour Radjabov and Russia’s Daniil Dubov with 4.5 points each.
So lost to Nakamura in the semifinals of the Speed Chess Championship early this month.
It was one of his four draws in Day Two as the Fischer Random king and two-time US titlist also split the point with Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, Aronian and France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
So is looking at finishing in the top eight and making it to the knockout playoff round.
He is scheduled to clash with Radjabov, Dubov and India’s Pentala Harikrishna in the last three rounds Tuesday.
So is also eyeing to duplicate his performance in last month’s Skillings Open where he shocked Carlsen to emerge champion of the season-opening leg of the tour.
So far, So has a total of seven draws including one with Carlsen and a victory to show.
His lone win came at the expense of Dutch Anish Giri in Day One.
More results at championschesstour.com.
