FILIPINO FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca drew with countryman Oscar Joseph Cantela in the ninth and final round and then edged Turkmenistan’s Serdar Bayramov via tiebreak to snare the blitz’ gold in the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championships in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday night.
Arca wound up tied with Bayramov at first place with 7.5 points each, but took the gold via the win-over-the-other-rule since the former defeated the latter in the third round.
Missing out on a bronze was fellow Filipino Cantela, who wound up tied for third with Mongolian FM Khishigbat Ulziikhishig but lost via tiebreak and finished at No. 4.
The Philippines’ Lemmuel Jay Adena barged into the top 10 after scoring six points.
Arca’s feat came a few days after he plucked a pair of silver medals in the individual and team standard event alongside Cantela and Adena.
Also delivering a medal were Arleah Cassandra Sapuan, Kate Nicole Ordizo and Beatrice Ann Bombales, who took the team bronze in the rapid event.
