Arca cops Philippines’ lone gold in Asian Youth Chess tilt

MANILA, Philippines — International Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca saved the best for last as he topped the open Under-16 blitz section for the Philippines’ lone gold medal in the 27th Asian Youth Chess Championships in Thailand.

Arca scored 7.5 points on seven wins and a draw against a single defeat to claim the title after finishing ahead of Vietnamese FIDE Master Dinh Nho Kiet and Indian IM Ethan Vaz, who wound up second and third, respectively, with seven points apiece.

It didn’t matter that Arca suffered his one and only defeat in the ninth and final round to Vaz.

But Arca could have lost the gold had Dinh won over Iranian Amirreza Kerdegar.

Fate, however, favored the 16-year-old Filipino though as Kerdegar stunned Dinh instead.

It was Arca’s second medal after he took the silver in the standard class a few days back.

He came close to pulling off a third podium finish after he finished tied for first with four others in the rapid section but heartbreakingly wound up fourth after tiebreaks were applied.

Also making the country proud was Marius Constante, who snatched a bronze in the open U8.