GMs So, Antonio and Laylo to World Chess Cup

For the first time, three Filipinos will represent the country in the World Chess Cup which is set to kick off this coming November in Khanty- Mansiysk, Russia– a historic feat in Philippine chess.

GM Wesley So, GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr., and GM Darwin Laylo will banner the Philippine flag in this highly tough event that will feature world’s top players.

Antonio was first to earn a slot by being among the Top 10 finishers in Asian Continental Chess Championships in Subic in May.

So and Laylo won their slots after an emphatic 1-2 finish in the recently concluded Zone 3.3 FIDE World Chess Championships in Vietnam.

The three will join the early list of WCC qualifiers:

a) From World Championship Match 2008
1. V. Anand (IND - World Champion)

b) From World Cup 2007
2. G. Kamsky (USA)
3. A. Shirov (ESP)
4. M. Carlsen (NOR)
5. S. Karjakin (UKR)

c) Women's World Champion 2008
6. A. Kosteniuk (RUS)

d) Junior World Champions 2007 & 2008
7. A. Adly (EGY)
8. A. Gupta (IND)

e) From FIDE Rating List, 20 players, average 7/2008 & 1/2009
09. V. Topalov (BUL) 2786
10. V. Ivanchuk (UKR) 2780
11. A. Morozevich (RUS) 2779
12. V. Kramnik (RUS) 2773
13. T. Radjabov (AZE) 2752
14. P. Leko (HUN) 2746
15. L. Aronian (ARM) 2743
16. S. Movsesian (SVK) 2737
17. D. Jakovenko (RUS) 2734
18. S. Mamedyarov (AZE) 2733
19. P. Svidler (RUS) 2730
20. A. Grischuk (RUS) 2730
21. B. Gelfand (ISR) 272
22. M. Adams (ENG) 2723
23. R. Ponomariov (UKR) 2722
24. Wang Yue (CHN) 2721
25. V. Gashimov (AZE) 2720
26. E. Alekseev (RUS) 2713
27. L. Dominguez Perez (CUB) 2712
28. Ni Hua (CHN) 2707

f) 46 players from European Championships 2008 & 2009

29. S. Tiviakov (NED) 2008
30. S. Movsesian (SVK) 2008
31. S. Volkov (RUS) 2008
32. P. Tregubov (RUS) 2008
33. E. L’Ami (NED) 2008
34. M. Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 2008
35. B. Grachev (RUS) 2008
36. V. Baklan (UKR) 2008
37. Y. Kryvoruchko (UKR) 2008
38. T. Nyback (FIN) 2008
39. E. Sutovsky (ISR) 2008
40. V. Laznicka (CZE) 2008
41. D. Pavasovic (SLO) 2008
42. Z. Efimenko (UKR) 2008
43. I. Papaioannou (GRE) 2008
44. A. Khalifman (RUS) 2008
45. E. Najer (RUS) 2008
46. D. Andreikin (RUS) 2008
47. G. Sargissian (ARM) 2008
48. J. Gustafsson (GER) 2008
49. L. Fressinet (FRA) 2008
50. I. Smirin (ISR) 2008
51. V. Bologan (MDA) 2008
52. E. Tomashevsky (RUS) 2009
53. V. Malakhov (RUS) 2009
54. B. Jobava (GEO) 2009
55. E. Inarkiev (RUS) 2009
56. I. Sokolov (NED) 2009
57. A. Naiditsch (GER) 2009
58. D. Navara (CZE) 2009
59. M. Kobalia (RUS) 2009
60. G. Guseinov (AZE) 2009
61. G. Meier (GER) 2009
62. F. Nijboer (NED) 2009
63. S. Fedorchuk (UKR) 2009
64. A. Timofeev (RUS) 2009
65. S. Sjugirov (RUS) 2009
66. M. Bartel (POL) 2009
67. R. Mamedov (AZE) 2009
68. B. Savchenko (RUS) 2009
69. K. Sakaev (RUS) 2009
70. N. Vitiugov (RUS) 2009
71. T. L. Petrosian (ARM) 2009
72. L. Nisipeanu (ROU) 2009
73. C. Lupulescu (ROU) 2009
74. A. Motylev (RUS) 2009

g) 44 players from the Continental & Zonal Championships 2008-2009 of Americas, Asia and Africa