Torre, Laylo score wins in Asian Zonals
abs-cbnNEWS.com 07/24/2009 10:35 PM
MANILA – Grandmasters (GM) Eugene Torre and Darwin Laylo scored victories over their respective opponents to lead the Filipino contingent in the opening round of the Asian Zone 3.3 chess championship in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
A report by SportsNews.ph said Torre defeated Kannapon Srivachiwarat of Thailand while Laylo whipped Tran Ngoc Lan of Vietnam.
International Master (IM) Richard Bitoon and GM Mark Paragua also posted wins over Vietnamese Dung Tran Quoc of Vietnam and Nguyen Vanh Than, respectively.
The victories made up for GM Wesley So’s draw with Fide Master Ly Hong Nguyen of Vietnam. IM Rolando Nolte also split the point with Vietnamese Nguyen Manh Truong.
“We’re very happy with the performances of our players. Although Wesley and Rolando allowed their opponents to escape with a draw, the four other players did well in winning their first-round matches,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay.
The Filipino chess players are looking for a favorable placing in the tournament, which is a qualifier for the 2009 World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
GM Rogelio Antonio has already won a slot in the World Cup following his strong finish in the Asian Individual Chess Championships held in Subic, Olongapo early this year.
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com
