GM Wesley So of PH wins Quebec Open

GM Wesley So of PH wins Quebec Open

Youthful Wesley So of the Philippines, 17,  took clear first place kin the Quebec Open Chess Championship organized by the Quebec Chess Federation 21st to 28th July, 2012, at the beautiful venue College Brebeuf in Montreal, Canada.

Wesley clinched the victory with a win in the final round against GM Bator Sambuev, Canada’s top board in the upcoming Chess Olympiad in Istanbul.

The Quebec Chess Federation (FQE) organized the  Canada’s most successful tournament which attracted 9 GMs and 1 WGM, as well as 10 IMs looking for GM norms. A total of 32 players competed in the invitational section for a first prize of $4 000.

So finished with 7.5 points, leaving the earlier co-leader GM Lazaro Bruzon from Cuba half a point behind. Bruzon took a quick draw with black against Anton Kovalyov.

This is another excellent achievement for the young Filipino, who already won the Toronto International tournament last week, also in Canada.

So missed the Battle of Grandmasters on his native Philippines, but he was guaranteed the first board for the national team at the Olympiad.

The prize fund of the Quebec Open Chess Championship is $18,000 guaranteed.  

Invitational: $4,000, $2,000, $1,000, $500, $200, $100 – $1,500 for the best Quebecer (Gowlings Prize)  Open: $1000, $600, $500, $400, $300, $200, $100, $350 (U2200), $250 (U2100)
 
Section A (U2000): $800, $500, $300, $200, $250 (U1900), $150 (U1800)  

Section B (U1700): $600, $400, $200, $100, $150 (U1500), $100 (U1400)  

Section C (U1300 and unrated): $400, $300, $200, $100, $100 (U1200), $75 (U1100)  Mini-COQ : $300, $200, $100

A total of 277 players participated in all groups. All results and games on the MonRoi website.

(http://asianchess.net/wp/?p=2732)