MANILA, Philippines – Russian bets Grandmaster Aleksey Grebnev and Woman International Master Anna Shukman sealed their dominance in the 2024 Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City on Saturday, October 19.
The top-seeded Grebnev settled for a draw with third-ranked Indian International Master (IM) S. Aswath to retain the boys’ crown with 7.5 points, towing No. 7 seed IM Munkhdalai Amilal of Mongolia and Aswath with 7.0 and 6.5 points, respectively.
Amilal bested World Cup campaigner IM Michael Concio in 58 moves of a Nimzo Indian, relegating the Filipino to ninth place with 5.5 points after scoring only half a point in the last three rounds of the tournament sanctioned by the Asian Chess Federation and hosted by Tagaytay City.
New sensation FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca wound up the highest-placed Filipino player in fourth to eighth places with 6.0 points following a victory over Indian FM Arjun Adireddy.
The 15-year-old Arca, winner of a GM-laden event in Vietnam in May, dropped to eighth after the tiebreak.
Shukhman trounced world kiddies 12-under champion WFM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka to snare the girls’ title with 8.0 points, a full point ahead of Indian Halder Sneha, who tamed Filipino Arleah Cassandra Sapuan and deposed champion Indian WIM G. Tejaswani, who was held to a draw by Kazakh WIM Kristina Popandopolu.
Other Filipinos faltered against world-class opposition.
Phil Martin Casiguran finished 12th with 5.0 points, Andrei Ainsley Dolorosa wound up 14th with 4.5 points, and Yuri Lei Paraguya placed 17th also with 4.5 points. Sean Davis Romualdez, Kyle Zeus del Mundo, and Andrew James Toledo posted 4.0 points each.
World Youth Championships-bound Jemaica Mendoza was the highest-placed Filipina at 12th with 4.5 points following a draw with Guamanian WCM Carmina Jasmine. Sapuan wound up 15th also with 4.5 points. Apple Rubin and Elle Castronuevo tallied 4.0 and 3.5 points, respectively. – Rappler.com