MANILA, Philippines — Wesley So drew with Azerbaijan’s Shakhriyar Memdyarov in 31 moves of a Sicilian Defense at the start of the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2018 in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands Saturday night.

Playing on the last stop of his preparation for the Candidates Tournament set from March 10-28 in Berlin, Germany where the winner gains a title shot against reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, So was forced to go into a series of minor-piece exchanges that resulted in a draw  by repetition of moves.

The 24-year-old Cavite-born, Minnetonka, Minnesota-based So remained in  an eight-man logjam at fourth spot that included no less than Carlsen himself.

Indian Vishwanathan Anand, Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Vladimir Kramnik of Russia all won their opening day assignments at the expense of Maxim Matlakov of Russia, reigning women’s world champion Hou Yifan of China and another Chinese Wei Yi, respectively.

So was playing black in the second round at press time against Matlakov.

So made the Candidates after he was granted one of the two wildcard slots for players with the best two rating averages the whole of last year.

In Berlin, So will need to top the field that includes Mamedyarov, Kramnik and fellow Russians Sergey Karjakin and Alxeander Grischuk, Armenia’s Levon Aronian, China’s Ding Liren and US teammate Fabiano Caruana to clinch the spot to the World Title match against Carlsen.