FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca showed his dominance in almost every local chess competition, thus making him the most-feared young chess assassin in Mindanao today at 14 years old.
“Hinog na si Arca. He's ripe to be given more international exposure or else he would end up just like us,” said Cagayan de Oro’s Johnnel Balquin, one of Mindanao’s top chess talents, who never campaigns abroad but still managed to reach near the respectable 2400 ELO ratings in his 30s.
“There are so many chess talents in the country who never got the break when they’re still the same age as Arca,” added Balquin, who’s now 45 years old, in the vernacular.
Just recently, the Panabo City pride Arca enjoyed the spotlight anew when he dominated the Rising Chess Unlimited Development Program Invidual Open held on October 7 at Damosa Market Basket in Lanang, Davao City.
Arca finished with a remarkable 6.5 points in seven rounds, defeating National Master Macacuna Macala and Reynaldo Quinonez among others before a draw with Jayson Salubre in the final round to pocket the P10,000 top purse.
Completing the top 13 winners among 74 entries are NM Macala and Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus at 6 pts, Salubre, Japheth Aaron Caresosa and Quinonez at 5.5 points and Jimmy Dano, Denzel John Amar, Lito Laput, Mhyl Crese Wayne Patrimonio, Anthony Mosqueda, Ivan Kim Falcatan and Cipriano Angelo Magalso at 5 pts each.
The Rising Chess Unlimited, which kicked off September 24 in Butuan City, serves as a promotional event for the highly ambitious 7-in-1 Chess Festival the beautiful City of Ozamiz in Mindanao will be hosting on November 10-12.
The rest of Rising Chess schedules are October 14-15 (Robinson's Galleria, Cebu City), October 21 (Robinson Place, General Santos City), October 22 (Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat), October 28 (back in Damosa Market, Lanang, Davao City), October 29 (Robinson's Galleria Ortigas, Metro Manila) and November 5 in Cagayan de Oro City.
Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo said he expects Butuan leg winner NM Levi Mercado and Lanang, Davao City champion FM Arca, and the rest of the Rising Chess Unlimited winners to give their best moves in the major event in Ozamiz where the country’s leading chess icons such as GMs Eugene Torre and Rogelio Antonio will be participating.
“This is a great challenge for Arca and the country's young chess masters to experience tough competition with the experienced and grizzled ones,” Urbiztondo said.
