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TEEN SENSATION WESLEY SO and fellow Grandmasters Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Darwin Laylo left Thursday to compete in the World Chess Cup starting tomorrow in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
So, the highest-ranked Filipino player with an Elo of 2640, takes on GM Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan in the first round of the tournament featuring 128 qualifiers from all over the globe.
The 47-year-old Antonio (Elo 2574) and Laylo (Elo 2552) will play a pair of experienced and higher-rated opponents.
Antonio will tangle with defending champion GM Gata Kamsky of the United States while Laylo will challenge GM David Navara of the Czech Republic.
?We?re ready. We?ve been preparing long and hard for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play against the world?s best,? said Antonio, the most experienced player in the three-man Filipino delegation in the knockout-style tournament.
The 16-year-old So will be making his first appearance in the biennial event while Laylo clinched his second straight trip by topping this year?s Asian Zone 3.3 championship.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero ?Butch? Pichay expressed confidence that the three Filipino players will perform well in the first round and make the country proud anew.
?We expect our three players, especially Wesley, to do well in the first round, said Pichay.
