So bows to Swedish GM, loses Sigeman chess lead

Standings after round 4

2.5 pts — GM Anish Giri (Netherlands), GM Hans Tikkanen (Sweden)

2.0 pts — GM Wesley So (Philippines), GM Alexei Shirov (Spain)

1.5 pts — GM Jonny Hector (Sweden), GM Nils Grandelius (Sweden)

FILIPINO Grandmaster Wesley So bowed to Swedish GM Nils Grandelius in Sunday’s 4th round to lose his grip of the lead in the 19th Sigeman Chess Championship in Malmo, Sweden.

The 17-year-old So got mated by Grandelius in 31 moves of a Nimzo-Indian defense by transposition to remain with 2.0 points on a win, two draws and a loss. He is currently tied at 3rd place with GM Alexei Shirov of Spain.

Other matches saw Shirov drew with GM Hans Tikkanen of Sweden while GM Anish Giri of the Netherlands and GM Jonny Hector of Sweden also agreed to a draw to share first place with 2.5 points. Hector and Grandelius tallied 1.5 points for 5th to 6th place.

In the fifth and final round, So meets Hector, Gradelius faces Shirov while Giri battles Tikkanen. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino