Wesley So
age
31
age became grandmaster
14
residence
Minnetonka, Minnesota
2016 Grand Chess Champion
Wesley
Wesley So is a three-time U.S. Champion (2017, 2020, 2021) and two-time Grand Chess Tour Champion (2016, 2021). Originally from the Philippines, So transferred federations to the U.S. in 2013, representing the U.S. in multiple Olympiads since, winning both the team and individual gold in the Baku Olympiad (2016). So also earned the team a silver medal in the Budapest Olympiad (2024). Currently the 11th highest rated player in the world, So has previously been as high as World Number two, with a peak FIDE rating of 2822, making So the fifth-highest rated player in history. In 2019, So defeated Magnus Carlsen in the inaugural FIDE Fischer Random World Championship in the final with a staggering score of 13.5 to Carlsen’s 2.5, becoming the first official World Champion of Fischer Random.
So relies on a strategy that uses a deadly combination of an aggressive series of moves with his calm demeanor to force mistakes from his opponents.
2023 Grand Chess Tour Winnings
$148,750
Tour Stops
- 1
2023 Superbet Chess Classic Romania
- 2
2023 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland
- 3
2023 SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia
- 4
2023 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
- 5
2023 Sinquefield Cup
| rank | tournament | points | prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Superbet Chess Classic | 5 | $42,750 |
| T-3 | Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland | 21½ | $22,500 |
| T-6 | Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz | 17 | $10,500 |
| 3 | Sinquefield Cup | 4½ | $48,000 |
| GCT Bonus - 3rd Place | - | $25,000 | |
| Total | 47 | $148,750 |
| rank | tournament | points | prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Superbet Chess Classic Romania | 5½ | $67,677 |
| 5 | Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland | 20½ | $15,000 |
| T-4 | SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia | 21 | $17,500 |
| 3 | Sinquefield Cup | 4½ | $40,000 |
| GCT Bonus - 2nd Place | - | $50,000 | |
| Total | 50 | $190,177 |
| rank | tournament | points | prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-2 | Superbet Chess Classic | 5 | $45,000 |
| 1 | Paris Rapid & Blitz | 24.5 | $37,500 |
| 4 | Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz | 18½ | $15,000 |
| T-2 | Sinquefield Cup | 5½ | $45,000 |
| GCT Bonus - 1st Place | - | $100,000 | |
| Total | 52.5 | $242,500 |
| rank | tournament | points | prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Côte D’Ivoire Rapid & Blitz | 7 | $15,000 |
| 2 | Croatia Grand Chess Tour | 15 | $60,000 |
| T-11 | Sinquefield Cup | 1½ | $10,000 |
| T-8 | Superbet | 2½ | $7,500 |
| T-3 | Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz | 7½ | $17,500 |
| Total | 32 | $110,000 |
