Christian Gian Karlo Arca spearheads a lean but mean five-strong Philippine delegation seeing action in the Eastern Asia Juniors and Girls Chess Championships 2024 unfurling Friday, July 5, in Karawaci-Tangerang, Indonesia.

Arca, 15, is eyeing the third and last norm to claim the International Master title that he can achieve if he ends up reigning supreme in this nine-round, six-day tournament that also stakes Grandmaster and Woman GM norms and outright IM and WIM titles to the champion.

Arca left yesterday along with countrymen John Jerish Velarde, Andrei Dolorosa, Mhage Gherriahlou Sebastian and Francesca Largo and National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales.

“We’re hoping to make the country proud in Indonesia,” said Gonzales, who is also the national women’s team coach.

The 2024 PSA Tony Siddayao awardee already owns two IM results including the recent one he obtained in a GM tournament in Quang Ninh, Vietnam last May.

The Panabo, Davao del Norte native is also eyeing to replicate what GM candidate Daniel Quizon accomplished in the same tournament last year when the latter topped both the standard and rapid events in Sabah, Malaysia.