So forfeits game after six moves on minor infraction
Something is wrong with Wesley So. Already out of the title race, So continued his free fall after his ninth round game against Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian was forfeited after six moves, sending him deeper into the abyss in the US Chess Championships in Saint Louis, Missouri yesterday.
Just six moves into their duel, Akobian complained about So’s persistent scribbling on his scoresheet, prompting tournament arbiters to forfeit the latter’s game.
It was another sorry result for the Cavite-born So, who was a total disappointment in the tournament he was expected to dominate after entering this 11-round, Category 16 tournament as the second highest-ranked player behind top seed GM Hikaru Nakamura.
So later explained in his Facebook page that he was unaware of the rule he violated.
“I have been having trouble concentrating so I wrote a note to myself on a piece of paper (not my score sheet),” said So. “It said: double check triple check use your time.
“Akobian saw it and complained to the arbiter and a forfeit was declared. I’m sorry I did not know it was against the rules,” he added.
Curiously, according to his camp, there were some people who claimed they’re relatives harassing him at the start of the event.
Because of this, tournament organizers had to provide an escort for So the whole tournament.
After nine rounds, So had 4.5 points, which was good for a place in the middle of the standings. And it could probably get worse. In a chess forum dedicated to chess particularly on So’s career, there were suggestions that So’s misadventures could be a simple case of burnout after a busy 2014 and past few months of 2015.
From the tail end of the Top 100 early last year, So has soared to the top 10 and even peaked at No. 5 in the world last week after several tournament successes.
Now So could probably need a rest to sort everything out.