Philippines, 20 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Wesley So wins Bilbao Chess Masters?2015


PhilBoxing.com




The ?Bilbao Chess 2015?also popularly called the?8th?Grand Slam Masters Final?took place in Bilbao on 25 October to 1 November 2015. ?Since its 1st?edition (2008), it is considered one of the?world?s strongest annual chess tournament.?The previous winners have been?Magnus Carlsen?(2011 & 2012),?Levon Aronian?(2009 & 2013),?Veselin Topalov?(2008),?Vladimir Kramnik?(2010) and?Viswanathan Anand?(2014).

The Participants



This year event, 8th?edition, ?is a 4-player double round-robin tournament with the participation of?the defending champion & 5-time world champion?Viswanathan Anand (India?s#1 & World?s #4),?Anish Giri?(Netherlands? #1 and World?s #5),?Ding Liren(China?s #1 & World?s #8) ? and?Wesley So?(USA?s #3 & World?s #12).

Starting Rank/Seeding:?



This strong-tournament had an?average rating of 2785.75, a?category 22?(2776-2800).

The Winners


L-R: ?Ding, Liren(4th place), ?So, Wesley(1st place), Anand, Viswanathan(3rd place) & Giri, Anish (2nd place)

Philippine-born GM Wesley So?representing USCF,? a first?timer in Bilbao, ?defeated the 2nd seed?Anish Giri in a two game tiebreaker blitz match 4-1 after both tied ?8 points in the 6-round standard/classical chess with 1 win and 5 draws apiece. ?The tournament regulations used the?Sofia Chess Rules?and the football scoring system of 3-1-0.



V. Anand and Ding, Liren had drawn in the last round in their own battle for 3rd place with both scoring 5 points but Anand with a higher tiebreak points took 3rd place with Ding, Liren settling for 4th place overall.

Round 1 to Round 6 Results



Wesley So?won?Bilbao Chess 2015



Wesley So after his brilliant win in R1?against Ding, Liren?s pet King Indian Defense (KID), where a number of experts described the win as?one of the most spectacular?games of the year,??protected that slim lead until Anish Giri catched up in R4 by scoring his 1st ever win against V. Anand in standard/classical chess. ?Where all other matches ended in fighting draws except these two wins in R1 by ?Wesley So and in R4 by?Anish Giri, ?the two players tied at 8 points a piece after R6 and had no other recourse but to move on to 2-tiebreaker blitz matches as required by the tournament?s regulations. ?Wesley won the 1st tiebreaker game and settled for a draw in the 2nd game?and the title, his first ever category 22 ?title in his young career at age 22. ?Wesley just turned 22 last October 9.



With the win Wesley So now joined the ranks of former?Bilbao Chess Masters/Grand Slam Masters Final?champions?that includes the current World Champion(WC) Magnus Carlsen, former WC?Vladimir Kramnik?and?Viswanathan Anand, former FIDE?WC?Veselin Topalov and?former world nr2 rated player?Levon Aronian.





Note: ?Starting R5 Live rating was adjusted with Wesley So November 2015 rating of 2767 as reference. ? see??Wesley So Live?Ratings.



Wesley had gained +7.8 rating points to bring his?Live Rating @ 2774.8 or 2775?come December 2015 ?FIDE rating that currently ranks #10 in the?Live Rating list.? His Tournament Performance Rating (TPR) was?2851.

Next stop for GM Wesley So

2015 Qatar Masters Open
December 19???December 29
Doha, Qatar

2016?Tata Steel Chess
January 15, 2016???January 31, 2016
Wijk aan Zee ? Netherlands


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jose "joeyj" Jereos Jr..


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • GM Joey is aiming for a world title shot
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 19 Oct 2025
  • Patrick Bonifacio rules Directors Chess Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 19 Oct 2025
  • World Boxing Announces Elite Division World Rankings
    , Sun, 19 Oct 2025
  • BEN WHITTAKER PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS NEW MATCHROOM SIGNING MEETS GAVAZI – PLUS: VUONG vs GWYNNE II
    , Sun, 19 Oct 2025
  • BIADO, YAPP, AND DUONG POWER TEAM ASIA TO THE BRINK OF GLORY
    , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Prado, Catubig dominate DTI Run
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • YORK HALL FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS: GEORGE LIDDARD MAKES HISTORY TO BECOME THE YOUNGEST EVER BRITISH MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION
    , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Usyk in Bare Knuckle event?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • IIEE Singapore tops National Chess Olympiad, Quezon City Simba's Tribe wins 2 matches in PCAP
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Liddard Destroys Conway to Claim British Middleweight Title, Becomes Youngest-Ever Champion
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Keiron Conway vs George Liddard: Unbeaten Prospect Faces Stiff Challenge
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Alicaba to fight for WBC Asian Continental super fly
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • DAY TWO: STARBOY MANAS STEALS THE SHOW AS TEAM ASIA EXTENDS PERFECT RUN
    , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS INTRODUCES CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND VICE PRESIDENT TONY COHEN
    , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Joseph Subia Signs with Wise Owl Boxing
    , Sat, 18 Oct 2025
  • Sirimongkhol, Midgley Make Weight for WBF World Title in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • ICTSI South Pacific on Oct. 28-31
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART II)
    By Dong Secuya, , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • California Commission Backs Dana White’s ‘American Boxing Revival’ and Expanded Muhammad Ali Act
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS PRESENTS “COUNTDOWN TO THRILLA IN MANILA” AND “THRILLA IN MANILA 50”
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai Featherweight World Title Showdown Set for Nov. 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Irish welterweight contender Paddy Donovan Positioned for another World title shot
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • DAY ONE: TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONNOR MITCHELL SIGNS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AND DREAMS OF SURPASSING HIS LEGENDARY FATHER
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONWAY-LIDDARD YORK HALL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Thu, 16 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.