FILIPINO grandmaster Wesley So will have a new coach for his coming tournaments this year.
Ukrainian grandmaster Vladimir Turmakov is reportedly coming aboard to help train and analyze games of the world no. 4-FIDE ranked (official ranking) So in his effort to stay in shape and possibly move up in the world rankings.
Tukmakov is described as very soft spoken by So’s supporters, a gentleman’s gentleman. He is expected to help give the mild-mannered So the inner toughness he needs in his games.
The entry of Turmakov was made known during a break in the ongoing 2017 Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.
So’s supporters told the Manila Standard: “This year will be a turning point in his campaign to make it to no.1 in the world. This will be the first time he has been able to afford some serious help.”
Turmakov used to coach GM Anish Giri many months ago.
So far, So has been conversing with Turmakov over his games via Skype.
The 70-year-old Turmakov was the non-playing captain of the victorious Ukraine team at the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvià in 2004. In the same year, he was awarded the title of FIDE senior trainer.
The Tata tournament enters its last three rounds, with So facing Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin in Round 11.In beating Polish GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek in 34 moves of an English Opening in Round 10, So gained a full-point advantage over five close rivals, which included world no. 1 GM Magnus Carlsen.
“Three more games to go. Magnus is in a good position. But I got a one-point lead,” said So in an online video interview with chessbase.com.
Carlsen, who confronts Baskaran Adhiban in his next game, drew with Pentala Hariskrishna in 37 moves of a 4-Knight’s Game and shares second spot (four points) with Sergey Karjakin, Pavel Eljanov and Wei Yi.