YOUNG PRIDE. Filipino FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca (right) against Vietnamese Candidate Master Dau Khuong Duy in the final round of the Quang Ninh GM2 tournament in Ha Long Ward, Ha Long City, Vietnam on Sunday (May 19, 2024). The match ended in a draw and Arca eventually ruled the event. (Contributed photo)
MANILA - Filipino FIDE Master (FM) Christian Gian Karlo Arca split the point with Vietnamese Candidate Master (CM) Dau Khuong Duy in the final round to rule the Quang Ninh GM2 tournament in Ha Long Ward, Ha Long City, Vietnam on Sunday.
Playing the black pieces, the 15-year-old resident of Dasmariñas City, Cavite settled for a draw after 67 moves of Caro Kann Defense, advance variation.
Arca finished the round-robin tournament with 6.0 points on three wins and six draws, and earned his second International Master (IM) norm.
He also settled for a draw with Vietnamese Grandmaster Nguyen Anh Dung (Round 1), Filipino IM Michael Concio Jr. (Round 4), Singaporean IM Liu Xiangyi (Round 6), Filipino Grandmaster (GM) John Paul Gomez (Round 7) and Vietnamese Candidate Master (CM) Dinh Nho Kiet (Round 8).
He scored victories over Chinese IM Yiping Lou (Round 2), Indonesian IM Azarya Jodi Setyaki (Round 3) and Vietnamese GM Tran Tuan Minh (Round 5), the tournament top seed.
Kiet placed second with 5.5 points, followed by Concio and Dung (5.0), Gomez and Liu (4.5), Lou and Duy (4.0), Minh (3.5), and Jodi (3.0).
Arca, a Grade 9 student of Dasmariñas Integrated High School, has gained 62.8 ELO points which will be added to his 2265 rating as of May 1.
“I would like to dedicate this victory to my countrymen, especially to the late (Cavite 4th District) Cong. Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr. It’s an honor to represent our country,” said Arca, who got his first IM norm during the 18th IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championships in 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
To become an IM, a player must get the three norms over 27 or more games and a FIDE rating of 2400 or more.
ELO is a rating system to measure a player's skill level.
“Christian is very happy to get his second IM norm in the tournament. He needs one more norm to complete his IM title, so he’s really motivated,” national coach FM Roel Abelgas, who also supervises the trainining of players from the Dasmariñas Chess Academy, said.
Arca, originally from Panabo City in Davao del Norte, is scheduled to compete next at the Hanoi GM Closed Tournament (May 21 to 26) and the 8th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship (July 12 to 21) in Penang, Malaysia. (PNA)
