MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Grandmasters (GMs) Wesley So and Darwin Laylo clinched victories for the country on Wednesday in the third round of the 10th Asian Continental Individual chess championships at the Hotel Pardisan in Mashhad, Iran.

So, seeded 3rd behind GMs Rustan Kasimdhanov of Uzbekistan and Krishnan Sasikiran of India, defeated International Master (IM) Alavi Sayed Javad of Iran to remain in contention in the 9-round competition.

The tournament will determine the region’s 4 representatives to the 2011 World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Laylo bested Fide master (FM) Jwan Bakr of Syria.

So and Laylo now each have 2 points.

Other players who scored 2 points are Indian GMs Parimarjan Negi, Adhiban B, Abhijit Kunte and Ganguly Surya Shekhar; Chinese GMs Zhou Weiqi and Zhao Jun; Vietnamese GM Dao Thien Hai; and Indon GM Susanto Megaranto.

Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi is leading the pack with 3 points. -- By Marlon Bernardino