By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
International Master Christan Gian Karlo Arca turned back Tyrhone James Tabernilla to gain a share of the lead after three rounds in the 6th ASEAN Individual Chess Championships-Gov. Henry Oaminal Cup at the Misamis Occidental Resort and Aquamarine Park in Ozamiz.
The 16-year-old Panabo, Davao del Norte native needed 57 moves to prevail in a Catalan duel, a win that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard along with Vietnamese Grandmaster Tran Tuan Minh, Indian IM V S Raahul and Mongolian IM Munkhadalai Amilal – all with identical 2.5 points.
Raahul and Tran, who were part of a three-way tie for the lead in the previous round, split the point while Munkhdalai toppled Indonesian FIDE Master Fabien Glen Mariano to catch up with them.
Arca, who received his IM title just last August, needs to rule this nine-round tournament in order to earn the outright GM title.
But he would need to produce big results, including his fourth round match against the third-seeded Raahul being played at posting time.
Meanwhile, local bets GM John Paul Gomez and IMs Pau Bersamina, Jem Garcia, Michael Concio Jr. and Kim Steven Yap were part of the 11-man chase pack with two points apiece.
Bersamina and Concio drew with each other, Gomez halved the point with Indian IM Ramesh Avinash, while Yap agreed to a draw with Vietnamese IM Dang Hoang Son.
GM Nguyen Van Huy, IM Dang Hoang Son and FM Dinh Nho Kiet of Vietnam, Indian IM Kamotra Soham, and Malaysian FM Wong Yinh Long were also part of that crowded group.
In the women’s section, WFM Ruelle Canino’s WGM bid got stalled following a 53-move defeat to WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram of Vietnam.
That heartbreaking defeat sent the reigning national champion down in an 11-player logjam at sixth spot with two points that included fellow Olympiad standouts WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIMs Bernadette Galas and Jan Jodilyn Fronda, and World Youth bronze winner Jemaica Yap Mendoza.
