Arca, Marticio lead National Age Group Chess Championships after three rounds

Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Jeremy Marticio downed Franklin Loyd Andes and Angele Tenshi Biete, respectively, the seize the premier Open Under-18 division lead after three rounds of the Vice Gov. Athena Tolentino National Age Group Chess Championships in Tagaytay City Saturday, March 4.
The results of Arca, a 14-year-old wunderkind who is being tipped as the next big thing in Philippine chess, and Marticio, 17, kept them on top with perfect scores of three points apiece in this tournament bankrolled by Tolentino, Cavite vice governor and National Chess Federation of the Philippines vice-president.
Arca and Marticio were battling it out in the fourth round at press time of this same meet backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino.
Half a point behind were the pack composed of Janmyl Dilan Tisado, Clark Kaeron Kwan, Cyrus Vladimir Francisco and Del Emerson dela Cruz.
Also sharing the spotlight was Ruelle Canino, a 14-year-old girl from Cagayan de Oro, who held fort against the big boys in the open U16 after besting 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 pristine 3-0 marks.
Franchesca Largo, meanwhile, edged Keira Hailey Layog to remain unscathed and seize the solo lead in the girls’ U18 class.