Laylo trounces Czech GM but So stumbles

MANILA, Philippines - GM Darwin Laylo bounced back to beat No. 21 seed GM David Navara of Czech Republic and stay alive in the first round of the 2009 World Chess Cup at the Khnaty-Mansiysk Center of Arts in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Sunday.

Laylo launched a relentless attack on the kingside with a queen, a rook and a knight to unsettle Navara. The Filipino champion then finished off his highly-rated Czech rival with a queen push to g5, attacking black’s unprotected g-pawn and threatening a mate in two.

The win enabled Laylo, who dropped his opening round game, to force a two-game rapid tiebreak matches against Navara Monday, with the winner advancing to the second round.

If the match remains tied after the two rapid matches, the two players will play two more blitz games to determine the winner.

But GM Wesley So, needing only a draw to advance, lost to GM Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan while GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. bowed out of the tournament with a draw with GM Gata Kamsky of the US, who won their first game.

So, 15, beat Guseinov in their first game but blundered in a pressure-packed endgame and resigned with his widely-exposed king under heavy attack by white’s queen and knight.

Like Laylo, So will battle it out with Guseinov in two rapid tiebreak matches to earn a ticket to the 64-player second round scheduled Nov. 24-25.

Antonio went all-out for a win against Kamsky, but the American fended off the Filipino’s attack to escape with a draw and advance to the next phase of the knockout format tournament.