So, Laylo trounce foes, stay in hunt

GMs Wesley So and Darwin Laylo scored a pair of hard-earned wins to bounce back into contention after five rounds of the fourth Prospero Pichay Cup international chess championship at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque City Tuesday.

So, out to redeem himself following a so-so showing in the recent President Arroyo Cup, crushed Li Wang of China to hike his output to 3.5 points for a share of fifth halfway through the nine-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with Duty Free Phils., Department of Tourism, Pilipinas Shell, Globe and Pagcor.

Laylo, who with So will lead the RP team campaign in the World Chess Olympiad in November in Germany, trounced IM Aleksander Wohl of Australia to join So, GM Mark Paragua and seven other foreign players in fifth place.

Paragua, who will lead the RP team to the World Mind Games in Beijing, China next month, settled for a quick draw with fourth seed GM Ehsan Ghaemmaghami of Iran after only 10 moves of the Philidor.

The three Filipino players stood a full point behind solo leader GM Li Shilong of China and half-point behind second seed GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore, GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia and GM Saidali Iuldachev of Uzbekistan.

Li, one of 13 foreign GMs in the 68-player field, upended top seed Gm Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan in 34 moves of the Gruenfeld to raise his total to 4.5 points and lead the hunt for the $5,000 top prize put up by NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay.

Zhong defeated GM Konstantin Shanava of Georgia in 53 moves of the Sicilian; Mchedlishvili outwitted IM Richard Bitoon in 41 moves of the Queen’s Indian; and Iuldachev downed GM Jayson Gonzales in 44 moves of the Pirc to share second place with four points.

GM Bong Villamayor dumped Haridas Pascua in 36 moves of the Budapest; IM Rolando Nolte outclassed Hamed Nouri in 45 moves of the Modern Defense; IM Julio Catalino Sadorra demolished Ernesto Fernandez; IM Barlo Nadera outplayed IM Oliver Dimakiling; IM John Paul Gomez drew with GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam; IM-candidate Kim Steven Yap halved the point with GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia; and IM Ronald Bancod split the point with GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam for three points.