Laylo duels French super GM in Chess Cup opener

Darwin Laylo, the country’s newest GM, will have to research, study and prepare well if he wants to spring a surprise in the 2007 World Chess Cup which fires off Nov. 24 in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia.

Laylo, 27, is paired with French GM Etiene Bacrot, ranked No. 1 in France and 23rd in the world, in the first round of the event featuring 128 of the world’s best players.

Laylo clinched a spot in the prestigious event after finishing seventh in the Asian Individual Chess Championship in Mandaue City, Cebu two months ago, becoming the fourth Filipino to see action in the tournament.

GMs Joey Antonio made it twice, then the World Championship before the Candidates Matches was revived. Mark Paragua and International Master Ronald Dableo qualified once.

Laylo’s GM title will be officially approved when the FIDE releases its quarterly rating list in January next year since he has already reached the minimum rating of 2500 required for one to be a full-fledged GM.

Laylo has a current FIDE rating of 2508, the fifth highest in the country next to Antonio with 2540, GM Eugene Torre and IM Wesley So with 2531 apiece and Paragua with 2514.

Laylo, ranked 113th in the tournament, will handle the black pieces first in the two-game opening round and will need at least 1.5 points against Bacrot to advance to the next phase where he would face the winner of the match pitting GMs Michael Roiz of Israel and Varuzhan Akobian of the United States.

Roiz is seeded 49th with a rating of 2644 while Akobian, who was in RP when the country hosted the President Arroyo Cup last year, is seeded 80th with a rating of 2585.