GM Darwin Laylo succumbed to French GM Etienne Bacrot in their second match and dropped a 0.5-1.5 setback to bow out of the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Myiysk, Russia Sunday.
After blowing what could have been a resounding win in their first game that ended in a 63-move draw, Laylo struggled with the black pieces and blundered when he gave up a pawn early which Bacrot cashed in on to seize the initiative.
But while Laylo kissed his World Cup hopes goodbye early, Cheradee Chardine Camacho stayed in the hunt in the World Youth Chess Championships at the Limra Hotel in Antalya, Turkey.
Camacho chalked up five wins, two draws and one loss to gain a share of fourth to ninth places after eight rounds in the girls’ 14 years old and under category.
Camacho, the 14-year-old pride of La Union, stood one point behind top seed WGM Nazi Paikidze of Georgia and half point behind Katarzyna Adamowicz of Poland and WFM Desi Cori of Peru.
Camacho, who bagged the silver medal in the individual blitz tournament in the ASEAN age-group championship in Pattaya, Thailand early this year, swept her first three matches against No. 65 Daniela Hurtado of Mexico in the first round, No. 39 Polina Nagornaya of Russia in the second round and No. 37 Maria Fragaski of Greece in the third round. – Joey Villar