GM So shares lead in Sweden chess

Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So turned back Spanish GM Alexei Shirov in Friday’s second round to share the lead with two others after two rounds of the 19th annual Sigeman Chess Championship at the Classic Hipp Theather in Malmo, Sweden.

The 17-year-old So prevailed using the white pieces after 59 moves of a Slav defense, according to his manager Reginald Tee.

The young Filipino chess wizard’s stint in the invitational tournament is backed by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chairman/president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

So, the first Filipino to play in the tournament, is now tied for first to third place alongside defending champion GM Anish Giri of the Netherlands and GM Hans Tikkanen of Sweden with 1.5 points.

Giri, who drew with So in the opening round, defeated GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden while Tikkanen halved the point with compatriot GM Jonny Hector of Sweden. Tikkanen beat Grandelius in the first round.

In the third round, So will handle the disadvantageous black pieces against Tikkanen, Giri will battle Shirov while Grandelius will square off with Hector.

The six-player, round-robin tournament is organized by the Limhamn Chess Club and sponsored by the Swedish law firm Sigeman and Co.

GM Ferdinand Hellers of the Netherlands holds the distinction as the only three-time winner of the tournament, claiming the crown in the event’s inaugural edition in 1993 and defending it in 1994. He also ruled the event in 1997.

Former world championship contender GM Nigel Short of England was also a double winner, bagging the title in 2002 and 2009.

Other past Sigeman winners include GM Tiger Hillarp Person (2008), GM Ivan Cheparinov (2007), GM Jan Timman (2006), Krishnan Sasikiran (2005), GM Peter Heine Nielsen (2004), GM Vassily Ivanchuk (2003), GM Boris Gulko (2001), Judit Polgar (2000), GM Boris Gelfand (1999), GM Joel Lautier (1998), Viktor Kochnoi (1996), and GM Ivan Sokolov (1995).