Minnesota Chess Master Aiming To Claim 2nd U.S. Championship
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 24-year-old Minnetonka man is attempting a rarity in the world of chess.
This week, he'll begin his quest to become the United States champion for the second year in a row.
Wesley So is the third-highest rated chess player in the U.S., and among the top 10 in the world.
How did he get to be so good? Well, it took a lot of practice.
Championship matches can take up to five hours. He didn't need nearly that long with me.
He beat me in six moves.
So is originally from the Philippines. There, chess is really popular.
"I've always enjoyed chess, since I was young," So said.
He says he's always been attracted to the game's seemingly infinite possibilities.
"Just fascinated me how the pieces move," he said. "Also, my favorite subject is math. And chess is very calculating."
So would carry a chess set around and play against his neighbors. He would challenge anyone he could.
At just 14, he became a grandmaster – the highest title in chess.
"Chess chooses you," he said. "You don't really choose chess."
He came to the United States in 2012 to go to college in St. Louis.
He won two national titles, turned pro and moved up to Minnesota. He currently lives in Minnetonka, playing chess for a living.
"For me, chess is a career," So said. "I've been a professional for 3-and-a-half years now.
Tournaments are a big source of income, and they don't get much bigger than his next one: the U.S. Chess Championships.
The total prize purse is $194,000. The winner gets $50,000.
It's the country's most elite, invitation-only competition, held annually in St. Louis. The event lasts 12 days.
So won it for the first time last year, after taking second-place and third-place the years before.
Round one of the tournament starts Wednesday.
Correction: The video version of this story says the tournament requires 11 wins to be champion. It is a best-of-11 tournament.