So ends gold drought by topping Blitz chess

FILIPINO GM Wesley So prevented an unimaginable gold medal shutout in chess after the country’s topranked chess player ruled the Blitz event in the penultimate day of the 26th Southeast Asian Games at the Swarna Dwipa Hotel in Palembang, Indonesia on Monday.

The 18-year-old Bacoor, Cavite whiz kid finished undefeated with nine points in the 10-man, single round robin Blitz competition.

GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong of Vietnam took the silver medal with 7.5 points while another Filipino entry GM Mark Paragua settled for bronze with 6.0 points.

Among So’s victims are Paragua, GM Cerdas Barus and FM Anjas Novita of Indonesia, IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi of Malaysia, Myint Han of Myanmar, Truong Son, IM Wynn Zaw Htun of Myanmar and Subramaniam Sumant of Malaysia.

Overall, the Philippine chess team bagged 7 medals, including So’s solitary gold.  /Correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO