So stays in race; Laylo gets door

KHANTY-Mansiysk, Russia – Wesley So pulled off a stirring victory over fellow GM Gadir Guseino of Azerbaijan in their rapid match to advance to the second round of the World Chess Cup at the Khanty-Mansiysk Festival of Arts in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Monday.

The 15-year-old So played with so much class and composure as he swept all three rapid tiebreak matches against Guseinov for a 3-1 victory as he became the only Filipino player to advance to the next round of this top-level championship.

So won the first game with the white pieces but Guseinov foiled the Filipino’s sweep bid with a victory in the second game to force the tiebreak stage.

But while the 59th-ranked So advanced, GM Darwin Laylo fell by the wayside as he lost to No. 21 seed GM David Navara of Czech Republic, 1-2, in their own sudden death duel.

Laylo forced the decider with a victory in Game 2.