A chess prodigy's rise

March 25, 2015 at 12:08PM
Chess Grandmaster Wesley So concentrated as he played chess with Sean Nagle during a training session at the Ridgedale Public Library on Friday, February 27.
Chess Grandmaster Wesley So concentrated as he played chess with Sean Nagle at the Ridgedale Public Library on Friday, February 27, 2015 in Minnetonka, Minn. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Age 6: Learns chess from his father.
Age 12: Becomes an international master and competes as member of the Philippine Olympic team in Turin, Italy in 2006.
Age 14: Becomes a grandmaster, beating Bobby Fischer's achievement by a year and four months.
Age 15: Earns a chess rating of 2610, making him the youngest in history to surpass the 2600 level, breaking current World Champion Magnus Carlsen's record.
Age 18: Climbs into top 100 in world rankings at No. 99 in August 2012.
Age 19: Joins the list of about 50 "super grandmasters," those with a rating above 2700, in March 2013.
Age 20: Ranks 14th in October 2014.
Age 21: Cracks the top 10 in November 2014.

Age 21: Climbs to 7th best in world in February 2015 (and currently sits at number 8), with a rating of 2788.

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Dennis J. McGrath

Dennis J. McGrath is a retired Star Tribune editor.

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