Lone Filipino entry Wesley So went up against fellow grandmasters during the opening of the 71st Corus Wijk Ann Zee “C-Group” International Chess Tournament Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the De Moriaan Community Centre in Wijk ann Zee, Netherlands.

A report posted on BilliardPhilippines.com said the 15-year-old So will face Natherland’s GM Friso Nijboer in the opening round using the disadvantageous black pieces. 

So, the country’s highest-ever rated player with an ELO rating of 2627, is the top seed in this 14 player-field with an average rating of 2521. Nijboer, on the other hand, is ranked 5th with an ELO rating of 2560.

This is the second time that a Filipino player was invited in the tournament after Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre in 1981.

The Corus Invitational Chess started in 1938.

“Wesley is a rare find,” Torre said. “He has an exceptional talent and has a potential to be a world champion. This is a great opportunity to have a kid like him. He is still young and dynamic. He has a bright future, and we all need to support him.”

“Pangarap ko pong makaabot ng 2700 Elo rating points,” said So.

A player beyond the 2700 ELO barrier is called a Hydra GM, which is a higher Super GM.

So and Mark Paragua (2621 ELO in 2006) are the only Filipinos who have reached the 2600 barrier.