Chess prodigy Wesley So was born on October 9, 1993. He became the 7th youngest Grandmaster in the history of Chess. He achieved the Grandmaster title at age 14 years, 1 month and 28 days during the 3rd Pichay Cup International Open in Parañaque City, Philippines on December 8, 2007. So got his first GM norm in the Offene Internationale Bayerische Schaha Meisterschaft in Bad Wiessee, Germany and his second Grandmaster norm in the 2007 World Juniors Under-20 Chess Championship in Yerevan, Armenia.

William So, Wesley's father, a self-employed bus driver taught his son to play chess when he was six years old. At age 9, he was already well ahead of his opponents when he won the National Kiddies Tournament for 14-under. At age 12, he became the youngest Filipino ever to make it to the Olympiad squad in Turin. He also won the National Junior (20 under) and the Philippine National Open when he was 13. Wesley is only the third Asian to become one of the world's grandmasters who are in their adolescence.

As of October 2007, his elo rating is 2531 making him ranked 3rd in the Philippines ahead of other notable Filipino Grandmasters like Mark Paragua, Bong Villamayor, Nelson Mariano and GM-elect Darwin Laylo. He was also considered as the strongest chess player in the world in his age group edging Chinese woman GM Hou Yifan of China (born 1994, ELO 2502) and Indian GM Parimarjan Negi (born 1993, ELO 2514). Wesley So won the World Under 16 Team Championship Board 1 gold medal with a score of 9.5 out of 10.

Wesley So's Achievements

* 2007 Dec - Champion (GM-IM blitz category), Fianchetto Realty/Gold Edge Assets Christmas Invitational Tournament held at the Prince Gregory Condominium in Cubao, Quezon City.
* 2007 Dec - Earned his final GM norm. 2007 Pichay Cup International Chess Tournament. He became the 7th youngest Grandmaster in world history and the youngest ever Filipino Grandmaster.
* 2007 Nov - 9th placer out of 64 participants. 2007 GMA Cup International Chess Tournament
* 2007 Oct - Earned his 2nd GM norm. World Junior Chess Championship.
* 2007 Jun 18-20 - Shell Battle of Champions, 15th Anniversary. Megamall, Ortigas. Champion
* 2007 May 06-09 - National Juniors Open Chess Championship. Marketplace, Kalentong. Champion
* 2006 Dec 25-31 - 3rd Singapore Masters International Open, Singapore

Tied for 4th place. Rank 14 (99 players)

* 2006 Dec - National Open Chess Championship. SM Manila. Champion
* 2006 Nov 17-23 1st President GMA Cup International Chess Tournament, Paranaque, Manila

Award: Top Juniors, 3rd. Tied for 6th place.

* 2006 Nov 04-12 Offene Internationale Bayerische Schaha Meisterschaft, Bad Wiessee, Germany

Award: Tied for 2nd place. Earned first GM norm. Creativity Award: chosen by Russian website e3e5.

* 2006 Oct 20-28 III Festival de Ajedrez Open Internacionale, Calvia Spain

Award: Best Under-16, Blitz.

* 2006 Oct 08 Title awarded by FIDE: International Master
* 2006 Aug 20-28 3rd IGB Dato Arthur Tan Malaysia Open Chess Championship, Kuala Lumpur

Award: Best Under 16 player. Earned 3rd IM norm.

* 2006 Jun 05-11 2nd San Marino Open Internationale de Scacchi, San Marino Republic

Award: Best Under 16 player. Earned 2nd IM norm.

* 2006 May20-Jun04 37th World Chess Olympiad, Torino, Italy.

Youngest RP Olympian.

* 2006 Apr22-May02 8th Dubai Open Chess Championship, Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamadan Ak Maktoum Cup, Dubai, UAE

Earned 1st IM norm.

* 2005 Dec 26-30 Masters/Challengers Intl Open, Singapore.

Finished 32nd individual. Award: Best Under 12 player.

* 2005 Aug 01-06 Nice Open International, Nice: Finished 9th
* 2005 Jul 18-29 World Youth Chess Championship, Belfort, France. Equal first.
* 2005 June 14-20 7th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship, Pattaya, Thailand

Individual Awards: Gold Medallist, Standard Chess; Gold Medallist, Rapid Chess; Gold Medallist, Blitz Chess.

* 2004 Dec 01-08 World Youth Chess Championship, Crete.

Finished: 13th.

* 2004 Sep 02-12 6th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship, Vung Tau, Vietnam

Individual Awards: Gold Medallist, Standard Chess; Gold Medallist, Rapid Chess. Team Awards: Silver Medallist, Standard Chess, Silver Medallist Rapid Chess.

* 2003 Nov 03-10 World Youth Chess Championship, Heraklio, Greece.

Finished: 19th.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_So
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=95915
http://www.rootyhillchess.org/so.html
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4313
http://pinoychess.informe.com/forum/wesley-so-dt16.html (from the Weekender)