SWITCHED SIDES. ♟️🇵🇭🇺🇸 “There are many good chess players in the Philippines... but unfortunately there is no regular and comprehensive support for their development.” “I am a proud Filipino, always will be a Filipino at heart, and never forget where I came from.” Before becoming the World No. 2 chess player, Wesley So’s journey was shaped by limited resources and the struggle to develop without consistent support. Growing up in the Philippines, Wesley said his family could not afford private coaching or a formal chess school. “I trained mostly on my own or played with friends... My family did not have the money for anything like that.” Still, Wesley became a grandmaster as a teenager, represented the Philippines internationally, and emerged as one of the world’s strongest young chess players. As his career progressed, competing internationally required more—coaching, airfare, tournament expenses, and regular opportunities to face elite players. Wesley later said: “There’s no long-term strategy for development in the Philippines.” He also spoke about the difficulty Filipino athletes can face in securing financial assistance: “It’s hard for athletes to get financial assistance to compete abroad, especially if they don’t have connections.” After moving to the United States to study at Webster University, Wesley gained access to stronger training, coaching, and competition. In 2014, he transferred his FIDE federation affiliation from the Philippines to the United States. By March 2017, Wesley had climbed to World No. 2 with a FIDE rating of 2822, behind only Magnus Carlsen. Wesley changed the flag beside his name, but the hardships that shaped his rise began in the Philippines. 🇵🇭♟️#wesleyso #magnuscarlsen #chess #chessmaster #creatorsearchinsights - @random_weirdo011