National Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca scores spectacular upset
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 13 Dec 2022
MANILA---National Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca achieved a spectacular upset against International Master Dragos Ceres of Moldova to seize an early share of the lead at the start of the MCPL’s Manny Pacquiao International Open Chess Festival at the Family Country Hotel in General Santos City on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
The 13-year-old Arca, Grade 8 student of Dasmariñas Integrated High School, playing under the guidance of Rep. Pidi Barzaga, Mayor Jenny Barzaga, National Coach Fide Master Roel Abelgas, and Class Adviser Mrs. Melinda Calumaya, wielded the Caro-Kann Defense with impunity and delivered the knockout blow via an unstoppable queenside passed pawn to hack out the stunning 57-move win.
When it was over, the 18-year-old Ceres, a European Under-15 silver winner and a reserve of the Moldovan team that saw action in Chennai Olympiad early this year, was left with two pawns down, an exposed king and an Arca b-file pawn ready to get promoted to a queen.
The reigning Bangkok East Asia Youth U14 open champion thus jumped into a 32-player logjam at No. 1 that included Filipino Grandmasters John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo and Joey Antonio.
Arca was eyeing a fitting follow up to his mammoth win as he was clashing with veteran IM Cris Ramayrat in the second round at press time.
Gomez downed Ferdinand Leysa; Laylo taught student Mark Jay Bacojo a lesson and won their duel; and Antonio turned back Gerard Yulo in this nine-round tournament staking a total cash pot worth P4.2 million including P1.14 million to the winner, the biggest in decades, courtesy of boxing legend and former senator Manny Pacquiao.
Other Filipinos who survived the first round were IM Richillieu Salcedo III, FIDE Master Mari Joseph Turqueza, FM David Elorta, IM Ronald Bancod, IM Eric Labog, Jr., IM Rolando Nolte, FM Jeth Romy Morado, IM Kim Steven Yap, IM Ricky de Guzman, IM Chito Garma.
The fancied foreign bets, GMs Hoivhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia, Lucas Van Foreest of the Netherlands, Vitaly Sivuk of Sweden and Pier Luigi Basso of Italy, all breezed through their first round assignments.-Marlon Bernardino-
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