WESLEY SO

WIJK AAN ZEE, Netherlands — Grandmaster Wesley So and GM Anish Giri of the Netherlands meet each other in the 11th round Friday in what could decide the champion in Group B in the 72nd Corus chess tournament at the De Moriaan Community Centre.

So, who is seeking a follow-up to his smashing triumph in Group C last year, will handle the white pieces for only the fifth time in 11 games during the tough 13-round tournament when he meets the lower-rated but equally-talented Giri.

Giri is a half-point ahead over So and two other players with still three rounds remaining in the category-16, 14-player event.

A win by the 16-year-old Filipino champion, who rose to prominence by becoming the world’s seventh youngest GM in 2006, will likely put him in the solo lead or tied for it depending on the outcome of the matches of GM Ni Hua of China and GM Erwin l’Ami of the Netherlands.

Ni will take on GM Pentala Harikrisha, while l’Ami will battle IM Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia in other crucial matches.