By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Filipino FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca held International Master (IM) and compatriot Paulo Bersamina to a draw in the seventh round of the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open on Saturday at Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Thailand.
The match ended in a 41-move stalemate from a King’s Indian Defense, placing both Filipinos in a six-way tie for fifth with 5.5 points.
Arca, 16, moved closer to securing his third and final International Master norm. He previously earned norms at the 18th IGB Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open (2022) and the Quang Ninh GM2 tournament in Vietnam (2023).
Others in fifth spot are Grandmaster (GM) Surya Shekhar Ganguly (India), IM James Morris (Australia), IM Michael Concio Jr. (Philippines), and Arsens Batashevs (Latvia).
Morris defeated Australia’s Tony Zheng in 38 moves (King’s Indian Attack), Concio toppled China’s Haoxuan Zhang in 64 moves (London System) and Batashevs crushed Indonesia’s IM Azarya Jodi Setyaki in just 24 moves (Centre Game).
“With two rounds to go, I’ll be needing one draw to get my third and final IM norm. If luckily I won my last two games, a possible GM norm,” Arca, who hails from Panabo City, Davao del Norte, said on Sunday.
To earn the IM title, a player must achieve three norms in 27+ games and reach a 2400 FIDE rating.
Meanwhile, GM Evgeny Romanov (North Macedonia) surged into solo lead with 6.5 points after beating Ganguly in 38 moves (French Defense).
Trailing with 6.0 points were British GM Stephen Gordon, Indian GM Babu Lalit, and Malaysian FM Ern Jie Anderson Ang.
In the Challenger division, Filipino John Paul De Guzman grabbed the solo lead with 6.5 points after upsetting Vietnam’s Tran Nguyen Dang Khoa. (PNA)
