Laylo keeps solo lead in National Open chess

MANILA, Philippines – GM Darwin Laylo drew his match with top seed GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. to keep a slim half-point lead with only one round remaining in the 2009 Victory Central Mall National Open chess championship Tuesday. Laylo, one of five GMs in the 129-player field, held his ground against the higher-rated Antonio despite handling the disadvantageous black pieces and came away with a much-needed draw going into the final round of the nine-round tournament. The draw was enough for the Dresden Olympiad veteran Laylo (6.5 points) to keep a slim half-point lead over Antonio, second seed GM John Paul Gomez, third seed IM Richard Bitoon, fifth seed GM Mark Paragua and unheralded Ali Branzuela. Laylo’s final-round opponent is Bitoon, who also split the point with Gomez. Paragua, a mainstay of the Philippine team to the inaugural World Mind Games in Beijing, China last year, halved the point with FM Leonardo Carlos to join Antonio, Gomez and Bitoon in a tie for second to sixth places with six points. The biggest surprise, however, came from Branzuela, who pulled the rug from under sixth seed IM Rolando Nolte to keep his hopes alive for the top prize of P100,000. GM Jayson Gonzales also settled for a draw with Deniel Causo to lead seven other players with 5.5 points. Bunched with Gonzales were IMs Barlo Nadera and Chito Garma, NM Emmanuel Senador, Christian Arroyo, Alcon John Datu, Causo and Carlos. Nadera drew with Datu while Garma trounced Richard de la Cruz, Senador outplayed Efren Arguelles and Arroyo shocked Edgardo Garma in other crucial eighth-round results. - GMANews.TV