INTERNATIONAL Master Daniel Quizon and Christian Gian Karlo Arca beat their first-round assignments for an early share of the lead in their divisions in the Asean Age Group Chess Championships in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday.
The top-seeded Quizon walloped Vietnamese Nguyen Hyunh Minh to jump to a five-player tie for first in the premier Open Under-20 division while Arca, 14, turned back Thai Wakin Krisnawongsakul to zoom to a 10-man logjam at the helm in the Open Under-18 class.
IM Michael Concio Jr., the country’s best bet next to Quizon, was slowed down by a draw against unheralded Kota Nagataki and was half-a-point off the pace.
Arca is hoping to prove that he’s the next big junior player more likely to succeed Quizon and Concio by topping the field which has participants three to four years older than him.
Their stint in the tourney is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, National Chess Federation of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
