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For his 13th birthday, Pinoy chess wizard Wesley So received a very special gift from no less than the World Chess Federation (Fide) yesterday – an International Master title that made him the country’s youngest IM.

The birthday gift was posted in the October 2006 ratings of the Fide website, which listed the whiz kid as the newest IM with a Fide rating of 2411.

So actually completed his IM title at the age of 12 years and 10 months, although Fide only released its latest ratings this month and announced it ony yesterday.

With the IM title, So eclipsed Grandmaster Mark Paragua’s record of being the country’s youngest IM at the age of 14 and 8 months.

“Masayang-masaya po ako kasi natupad na ang isa sa mga pangarap ko,” said the soft-spoken So, who tied for first in the 2005 World Youth Under-12 tournament in Belfort, France, last July.

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International Master (IM) Jayson Gonzales inched closer to the elite circle of chess Grandmasters (GMs) after beating local bet Miguel Cerdo Fernandez in 35 moves of an Alekhine Defense at the start of 19th International Chess Open Es Vermar Saturday in Mallorca, Spain.

Gonzales, who secured GM norms in the 2004 Calvia Open and the 2005 Malaysian Open, needs only one more norm to become a full-fledged GM.

Other fancied players who won their opening games were GM Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba, Czech GM Tomas Oral, Ukrainian GM Sergey Krivoshey and GM Viesturs Meijers of Latvia.

The champion in the week-long event that drew four GMs and eight IMs gets 1,200 euros.

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University of the East (UE) inched closer to retaining the juniors crown and University of Santo Tomas (UST) appeared to do the same in the women’s side of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 69 chess tournament.

UE, riding behind the sterling performance of Nelson Mariano III, dominated Adamson (3-1) and Ateneo (3.5-.5) to pad its lead over its closest pursuer with 28.5 points out of a possible 32.0.

The UE chessers can wrap up the title if they win over National University (9.0 points) and UST (16.5) in the final two rounds.

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Grandmaster Joey Antonio and FIDE Master Wesley So will lead Tagaytay City in its title-retention bid in the 2006 National Inter-Cities and Municipalities Chess Team Championship on Sept. 13-17 at the Gaisano Mall Atrium in Davao City.

The veteran-prodigy tandem led Tagaytay-A to the title last year at the expense of Tagaytay-B.

So is set to become the country’s youngest international master after completing the required three norms in a recent tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He just needs to breach the 2400-barrier. His current rating is 2330.

GM Mark Paragua completed the IM requirements at the age of 15. So, on the other hand, is only 12 years old and, barring any hitches, stands to break Paragua’s mark before the year ends.

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Adamson kept the men’s lead, University of Santo Tomas (UST) stayed up front in the women’s and University of the East (UE) held the pace in the juniors side of the UAAP Season 69 chess hostilities played over the weekend at the UE Briefing Room in Manila.

Adamson drew huge performances from all four board players, most notably from Ryan Dungca on board one, to shut out National University, 4-0, Sunday for a 15.0 output out of a possible 18.0 in men’s action.

Dungca won in 55 moves of the Center Counter over Willened Turda to highlight the rout which kept Adamson 1.5 points clear of second-running Far Eastern University, which blanked Ateneo in the fifth round Saturday but drew University of the Philippines in the sixth round Sunday.

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