Wesley So bags P2.3 million in semifinal stint; Carlsen, Nepomniachtchi share World Blitz title

MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So shared third and fourth in the blitz section of the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Championships jointly won by defending champion Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi on Tuesday, December 31 (Wednesday, January 1, Manila time) at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

The Bacoor, Cavite-born So, seeded fourth, trounced second seed Alireza Firouzja, 3-1, in the knockout quarterfinal round before blowing the lead and losing to Nepomniachtchi, 3-2, in the semifinal round of the event that staked a total of $1.43 million (P81 million).

Carlsen, the world No. 1 and seven-time blitz champion swept Jan-Krzysztof Duda, 3-0, in the semifinals. The Norwegian superstar who quit the rapid section of the tournament after getting fined for wearing jeans, beat American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann, 2.5-1.5, in their quarterfinal tussle.

Nepomniachtchi, a two-time loser to Carlsen for the world title, subdued new World Rapid champion Volodar Murzin in the round of 8.

With the score tied, 3.5-3.5, after three sudden deaths, Carlsen proposed to Nepomniachtchi that they split the crown and the Russian No. 1 accepted.

Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi, a two-time winner of the FIDE Candidates Tournament, bagged $80,000 (P4.6 million) each. So and Duda pocketed $40,000 (P2.3 million) each in the blitz section that lured 188 bets.

The 31-year-old So, a three-time US champion, rebounded from a 7.0-point 61st-place performance in the rapid section where he was initially ranked 11th in the tournament hosted by the United States for the first time.

New York-based Filipino GM Oliver Barbosa finished with 6.0 points and 121st in rapid and 5.5 points and 145th in blitz. – Rappler.com