Laylo cops Manila Open chess crown

MANILA, Philippines - Grandmaster Darwin Laylo trounced fellow GMs Joey Antonio and Mark Paragua in the last two rounds to capture the Manila Open chess crown at SM City Manila last Sunday.

Laylo finished the eight-round tournament with 7.5 points, beating 12-time National Open champion Antonio and former national junior champion NM Rolando Andador, who ended up tied for second with seven points in the event dubbed as the Mayor’s Cup.

Laylo took home P20,000 in the one-day tournament held as part of the Araw ng Maynila celebrations and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by chairman/president Butch Pichay Jr. and secretary-general Bambol Tolentino Jr.

The win came on the heels of Laylo’s victory in the recent POC-PSC National Games Open in Dumaguete.

A veteran of the World Chess Olympiad and World Cup, Laylo is also member of the national team that won the silver medal in the 2010 Asian Games in China.

Six players wound up tied for fourth with 6.5 points in the tournament sponsored by Pagcor, SM Prime Holdings, Spartan Mining and City of Manila, including IMs Ronald Dableo, Oliver Dimakiling and Barlo Nadera, NM Roland Perez, Christian Arroyo and Lennon Salgados.

Meanwhile, World Cup-bound GM Oliver Barbosa won 19 and drew six games in the 25-board simul chess exhibition at the SSS canteen in East Ave. QC last Friday.