Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Jeremy Marticio downed Franklin Loyd Andes and Angele Tenshi Biete, respectively, and seized the premier open Under-18 division lead after three rounds of the Vice Gov. Athena Tolentino National Age Group Chess Championships in Tagaytay City.
With their wins, Arca14, and Marticio, 17, remained on top in the standings with three points in the tournament bankrolled by Tolentino, a Cavite vice governor and National Chess Federation of the Philippines vice-president.
This early, Arca is being fancied as the next big thing in Philippine chess.
The two are battling it out in the fourth round of the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino.
Half-a-point behind are Janmyl Dilan Tisado, Clark Kaeron Kwan, Cyrus Vladimir Francisco and Del Emerson dela Cruz.
Also sharing the spotlight was Ruelle Canino.
The 14-year-old girl from Cagayan de Oro who is competing against the boys in the open U16, bested John Martin Firmalino in the third round.
The win sent Canino, a former national junior girls runner up, in the joint lead with John Cyrus Borce, who trounced Cyrus James Damiray, with a pristine 3-0 mark apiece.
Franchesca Largo bested Keira Hailey Layog to remain unscathed and seize the solo lead in the girls’ U18 class.
