Laylo, Dableo to play in Marinduque Open
TWO of the country’s top chess players — Grandmaster Darwin Laylo and Candidate Grandmaster Ronald Dableo — have confirmed their participation in 1st Marinduque National Chess Open Tournament slated on March 9 to 10 at the Marinduque Convention Center in Boac, Marinduque.
The entry of Laylo and Dableo, who were also teammates during their college days at San Sebastian College, will elevate the level of competition in the tournament, said Dr. Alfredo “Fred” Paez, one of the organizers of the event.
Laylo won the Philippine National Chess Championships held in Malolos, Bulacan last year.
Dableo, on the other hand, needed to raise his current Elo rating of 2364 to 2500 to become a full-fledged Grandmaster.
Also playing in Marinduque are reigning Battle of the Grandmasters champion International Master (IM) Daniel Quizon, backto-back Asian Seniors Champion IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad, IM Ricardo de Guzman, IM Angelo Young, IM Barlo Nadera, IM Michael Concio Jr., IM Rolando Nolte and Woman International Master Kylen Joy Mordido.
FIDE Masters Roel Abelgas, Christian Gian Karlo Arca, Mark Bacojo and Alekhine Nouri, and National Masters Jojo Aquino, Oscar Joseph Cantela and Lorenzo Aaron Cantela are also competing in the 20 minutes plus 5 seconds delay time control tournament.
In the Kiddies division, Marinduque’s elementary champion Lenette Sharmaine Oh, Clarence Macunat, Tristan James Baldovino, Gabriel Loto, John Meneses Jayag, Marvin Bacay, Frank Matthew Lanot and Hunter Constantino are among the top contenders.
The tournament is sponsored by Gov. Presbiterio Velasco and Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and jointly organized by the Marinduque Chess Association and Boac Knight Chess Club Inc.
The Open division champion will take home the P50,000 prize while the runner-up and the third placer will pocket P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.
In the Kiddies division, the champion will win P7,000 while the second and third placers get P5,000 and P3,000, respectively.