Philippine chess prodigy Christian Gian Karlo Arca rules Asian Youth tourney in Kazakhstan
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 20 Jun 2024
Final Standings:
8.0 points---FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca (Philippines)
7.0 points--- Asman Bayantas (Kazakhstan), Nikita An Kalinin (Russia), FM Ernur Amangeldy (Kazakhstan)
6.5 points---Leonid Efimov (Russia), Alan Petukhov (Kazakhstan)
6.0 points---FM Daniyal Sapenov (Kazakhstan), Kirill Otdelnov (Russia), Isaak Parpiev (Russia), Do An Hoa (Vietnam)
Manila---Striking while the iron is hot, Filipino teen sensation Christian Gian Karlo Arca added another major victory to his growing list of triumphs as he topped the Asian Youth Blitz Chess Championships 2024 - U16 held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
The prodigious 15-year-old FIDE Master finished solo first by scoring eight points in nine rounds.
Arca defeated Kirill Gusev of Russia, Kirill Tambovskii of Russia and Goyal Daksh of India in the first three rounds, respectively, before losing to Asman Bayantas of Kazakhstan in the fourth round.
The incoming Grade 9 student of Dasmariñas Integrated High School then swept his remaining matches against FM Akbarali Abdukhakimov of Uzbekistan in the fifth round, Truong Phu Pham of Vietnam in the sixth round, CM Dmitrii Suslov of Russia in the seventh round, Leonid Efimov of Russia in the eight and penultimate round and FM Daniyal Sapenov of Kazakhstan in the ninth and final round en route to winning the coveted title.
It was also his second big triumph after ruling a Grandmaster tournament in Quang Ninh, Vietnam last month en route to his second of three required norms to become an International Master (IM).
“It is always an honor for me to represent our country in the Asian Youth Blitz Chess Championships 2024 - U16 held in Almaty, Kazakhstan," said FM Arca.
Among those who are supporting his chess campaign here and abroad are Mayor Jenny Barzaga and national coach FIDE Master Roel Abelgas.
"Filipino teen sensation Christian Gian Karlo Arca showed why he’s the next big thing in Philippine chess as he topped Asian Youth Blitz Chess Championships 2024 - U16 held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Thursday," national coach Abelgas, who also supervises the training of players from the Dasmariñas Chess Academy, said.
It shall be recalled that FM Arca was also a multi-gold medalists in the 2022 Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship U14 Open Category and also ruled the side event Open Blitz Competition of the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2023 held in Montesilvano, Italy and the Blitz Event of the Eastern Asia Juniors Chess Championship 2023 in Sabah, Malaysia.
"Thank you for all your prayers. Team Philippines is going home with 1 gold medal from Christian Gian Karlo Arca in the Under 16 Open Blitz Event," said PH Delegation Head Atty. Nikki De Vega, legal counsel of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines under the leadership of its chairman/president Cong. Prospero "Butch" Arreza Pichay Jr. who celebrated his 74th birthday on Thursday.
Other members of the Philippine team are reigning national women's champion Woman FIDE Master elect Ruelle Canino, National Master Mar Aviel Carredo, Woman National Master Nicolas Nika Juris and Candidate Woman Master Elle Castronuevo.
NCFP CEO GM Jayson Gonzales is the head coach of the PH team.
FM Arca is scheduled to compete next at the Eastern Asia Juniors Chess Championship (July 3 to 11) in Karawaci-Tangerang, Indonesia and the 8th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship (July 12 to 21) in Penang, Malaysia.-Marlon Bernardino-
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