PANGUNGUNAHAN ni Grandmaster Darwin Laylo ang strong local cast sa pagtulak ng The Search for the next Wesley So invitational active chess tournament sa Marso 24 hanggang 25, 2018 na gaganapin sa Alphaland Makati Place (2nd Floor) sa 7232 Ayala Avenue Corner Malugay Street (malapit sa Makati Fire Station) sa Makati City.
Ang top player ng Philippine Army chess team na si Laylo na siyang kampeon sa 1st Chooks-to-Go National Rapid Chess Championship nitong nakaraang taon na ginanap sa Vista Mall, Sta. Rosa , Laguna, ay ang inaasahang isa sa top contender sa two-day event base na din sa kanyang current impressive performance.
“Words don’t even describe how excited I am to be playing for The Search for the next Wesley So at the Alphaland Makati Place in Makati City,” sabi ng San Roque, Marikina City pride Laylo, bahagi ng Coaching staff ng Ateneo de Manila University chess team.
“A privilege and an honor and I’ll do my very best ,” huling pananalita ni Laylo na tubong Lipa City, Batangas, at close friend ni World’s number 3 Super Grandmaster Wesley So.
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Ang nasabing event na magsisilbing punong abala si National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Surigao del Sur. Rep. Prospero “Butch” Arreza Pichay Jr. sa pakikipagtulungan ng Alphaland Makati Place ay nakalatag ang total pot prize P50,000.
Ang iba pang GMs vying sa event na inorganisa ni NCFP treasurer Atty. Cliburn Anthony A. Orbe, ay sina 13-times Philippine Open champion Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. at John Paul Gomez kasama din sina International Masters (IMs) Roderick Nava, Joel Pimentel at Jan Emmanuel Garcia.
Ang babandera sa youth challenge ay sina eight-year-old Al-Basher “Basty” Buto, Michael Concio Jr., Mark Jay Bacojo, Daniel Quizon, Jerlyn Mae San Diego at Kylen Joy Mordido.
Ang rate of play ay 30 minutes plus five seconds delay active time control format sa two-day affair na layuning ma develop ang country’s youth stars at ma sharpen ang kanilang skills ayon kay Atty. Orbe.
“Exciting times ahead for Philippine chess,” ani pa ni Atty. Orbe na siya ding founding president ng newly-formed Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA).
“All games will be broadcast live worldwide through the Youtube channel of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.” dagdag pa ni Atty. Orbe kung saan ay anim na Digital Game Technoloy (DGT) electronics boards ang gagamitin sa nasabing event.
