Darwin Laylo is a professional chess player from the Philippines, who holds a title of Grandmaster (GM). Born on February 27, 1980, in Malabon, Metro Manila, he learned chess when he was 15 years old. Laylo became a National Master in 2001, International Master in 2003, and Grandmaster in 2007, making him the seventh Filipino Grandmaster.
He has also won several chess tournaments both locally and internationally, including the 6th Asian Continental Open Championship in 2007, which led to his title as the first Grandmaster from Metro Manila. Laylo was awarded the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) chess player of the year in 2009 and 2010. Additionally, Laylo is also a writer and a coach. He wrote a book called "The Structural Advantage" in 2016 and has been providing chess lessons online.