Wesley So, Anand share lead In 10th Norway Chess tourney

MANILA, Philippines – Wesley So continued his solid play and bested Teimour Radjabov on Tuesday, May 31 (Wednesday, June 1, Philippine time) to share the early lead with five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand in the 10th Norway Chess Tournament in Finansparken, Stavanger.

His morale buoyed by his victory in the blitz segment of the elite 10-man tournament, So pounced on an inaccuracy by Radjabov to prevail with white in their Italian (Giuoco Piano) encounter and tally 3 points in the unique scoring system. (READ: Wesley So whips Carlsen, rules Norway Chess blitz)

Also handling white, Anand followed suit by taming Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

Other games saw world champion Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov triumph via Armageddon.

After drawing their first games, Carlsen beat the returning Wang Hao, Giri subdued former world champion Veselin Topalov, and Mamedyarov tamed Aryan Tari.

Carlsen, Giri, and Mamedyarov got 1.5 points each, while Wang, Topalov and Tari hogged the cellar with 1.0 point each.

The Filipino-born So, the reigning back-to-back United States titlist, is pitted against Carlsen in the second round on Wednesday. So will try to duplicate his sixth-round conquest of Carlsen in the blitz segment.

Other matches pit Vachier-Lagrave against Mamedyarov, Wang versus Giri, Topalov against Anand, and Radjabov versus Tari. – Rappler.com