SO, ANTONIO, LAYLO FACES TOUGH OPPONENT IN WORLD CHESS CUP

PASSING through the eye of the needle best describes to Filipino grandmasters (GMs) Wesley So, Rogelio “Joey”Antonio Jr.and Darwin Laylo’s first round assignments in the forthcoming 2009 World Chess Championships dubbed as World Chess Cup to be held on on November 20 to December 15 in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia.

The Bacoor whiz kid So, with a rating of 2640, will meet GM Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan, who has a rating of 2625. On the other hand, the Sta.Mesa,Manila native Antonio, a sergeant at the HSSG of the Philippine Army under Commanding Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, rated 2574, will try his luck against GM Gata Kamsky of the United States, rated 2695, and Laylo, who hails from San Roque, Marikina City, rated 2552, goes up against GM David Navara of Czech Republic, who possessed an ELO rating of 2707.

“Maka-abot lamang sa fourth round ng KO stage ang mga player natin ay malaking achievement na y’un sa RP chess lalu na alam naman natin na maraming magagaling na kasali sa World Chess Cup,” Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., the incumbent president/ chairman of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) told to this writer in a recent interview in his office at the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in Old Balara, Quezon City.

With a total prize fund of USD $1,600,000, the 2009 World Chess Cup, an integral part of the World Championship Cycle 2009-2011, will take place in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia on November 20 to December 15. The tournament once again is a knock out event with 128 players. There shall be six (6) rounds of matches comprising two (2) games per round, with the winners progressing to the next round, plus the final seventh (7th) round comprising of four (4) games. The time control shall be 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of 30 seconds per move from move one.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.