Filipino Teen Ousts Ukrainian Grandmaster In World Chess Cup Upset

November 26, 2009 3:20 p.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - Sixteen-year-old Filipino grandmaster (GM) Wesley So drew with Super GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in their second match of the 2009 World Chess Cup in Russia to oust the world's 12th best chess player.

The win via 46 moves of a Queens Pawn Game using the white pieces sent So to a third round match against 2007 World Cup runner-up, Super GM Gata Kamsky of the U.S. Kamsky beat a Chinese opponent in the second round to set the faceoff with So.

So first beat Ivanchuk Tuesday via 39 pushes of a French duel using the black pieces and needed only a draw in their second match to complete the upset and advance to the next round against Kamsky.

So is ranked 102 in the World Chess Federation's (FIDE) list of best chess players as of November 2009. Ivanchuk ranks 12th while Kamsky ranks 41st.