Laylo, So finish 1-2 in Asian Zonals, clinch World Cup slots
07/29/2009 06:41 PM

Grandmasters Darwin Laylo and Wesley So of the Philippines finished 1-2 in the 2009 Asian Zone 3.3 chess championship Wednesday in Ho Chi Minh City to clinch their tickets to the prestigious World Cup.

Laylo (ELO 2494) outduelled second seed GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore in the final round to complete a historic triumph in this tough, nine-round tournament and secure his second straight World Cup appearance.

The pride of Lipa City, Batangas finished with a nine-round total of eight points on seven wins and two draws.

So, the highest-rated Filipino player with an ELO of 2646, drew with GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam to wind up in solo second with 6.5 points, grabbing the second and last berth to the World Cup.

With their 1-2 finish in the Asian Zonals, Laylo and So joined GM Joey Antonio to the World Cup scheduled in Khanty-Mansisyk, Russia later this year. This will be the first time that the Philippines will have three entries in the prestigious individual chess competition.

Here is the full article.

Asian zone 3.3 chess championship

Final standings:

8 points – D. Laylo (RP) *

6.5 – W. So (RP) *

6 – N. Truong Son (Vietnam),
M. Paragua (RP), S. Megaranto (Indonesia), H. Mas (Malaysia), D. T. Hai (Vietnam)

5.5 — Z. Zhong (Singapore), N. T. Son (Vietnam), D.T. Anh (Vietnam), N. V. Huy (Vietnam), T.T. Tu (Vietnam), ND. Hoia (Vietnam), L. Q. Long (Vietnam), S. Kojima (Japan)

5 — N. V. Huy (Vietnam),
R. Bitoon (RP)
, V.T. Nihn (Vietnam), T.N. Lan (Vietnam), T. N. Tung (Vietnam), N.H. Nam (Vietnam), P. Chuong (Vietnam), R. Nolte (RP), N. Dung (Vietnam)

4.5 — B. Koa (Vietnam), T. W. Chan (Singapore), E. Torre (RP), L.H. Nguyen (Vietnam),
L. K. Dominic (Singapore), B. Tsegmed (Mongolia), D. Chan (Singapore), A. Watanabe (Japan)

* clinched World Cup slots

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