The Philippine chess phenomenon Grandmaster Wesley scored another big win in the World Chess Cup 2009 by eliminating defending champion and super GM Gata Kamsky at the Khanty-Mansiysk Festival of Arts in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. This victory makes the 16-year-old chess wizard to advance in the fourth round of the chess tilt after getting a draw in the second of his two-game match against Kamsky.

Young Wesley So displayed nerves of steel as faced the veteran and a championship candidate Gata Kamsky. The official scores in the third round encounter is 1.5-05 as So (ELO 2640) blocked the defending champion’s advances in 42 moves.

So also eliminated the World No.12 Super GM Vassily Ivanchuk (ELO 2739) in Round 2 of the tournament after disposing of GM Gadir Guseinov in Round 1. The World Chess Cup 2009 is a qualifier for the Candidates’ Tournament of the World Chess Championship in 2011.

Before beating Kamsky, Wesley was quoted in an interview by the World Chess Cup official website that he dreams of reaching ELO 2700.

“I am 16 and the greatest achievement for me so far is the second place in one tournament with average rating about 2700. At the moment my rating is 2640. I dream that sooner or later I will come to the magical point 2700. I don’t know how much time I will need for that,” he said.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. congratulated So for his stunning upset win over Kamsky, and urged the Filipino champion to “continue to play well and bring honors to the country.”

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