MANILA – Filipino FIDE66 Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca settled for a draw with Indian Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly in Round 8 of the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Thailand last Sunday.

Arca, playing the white pieces, split the point with Ganguly after 43 moves of the Catalan Opening to gain 6.0 points and secure his third and final International Master (IM)6 norm.

He is tied for sixth place with eight others, including his final round opponent, British GM Nigel Short, a former World Championship6 challenger.

"I will go all-out for a win in the final round for a possible first Grandmaster (GM) norm," said the 16-year-old from Panabo City, Davao del Norte66 province.

Arca got the first IM norm two years ago at the 18th IGB Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He won the Quang Ninh GM2 chess tournament in Ha Long City, Vietnam on May 19, 2024 to earn his second IM norm.

Arca currently has a 2250 ELO rating. He needs a FIDE rating of 2400 or higher to complete his IM status.

In other results, Filipino IM Michael Concio Jr. defeated Australian IM James Morris in 66 moves of the Nimzo Indian defense, while compatriot IM Paulo Bersamina downed Latvian Arsens Batashevs in 83 moves of the Double Fianchetto Opening as they gained 6.5 points and shared second place with Indian Babu M R Lalit, who drew with GM Evgeny Romanov of North Macedonia after 20 moves of the Guico Piano Opening.

Romanov has 7.0 points to stay on top of the standings with Malaysian FIDE Master Ern Jie Anderson Ang, who prevailed over British GM Stephen Gordon of England in 40 moves of the Slav defense.

Meanwhile, Bersamina ruled the Makruk (Thai chess) category, beating Singaporean Mooi Kok Onn, Vietnamese Dang Hoang Som, American Nixon Williams, Arvie Lozano and Michael Culasing. He drew with Raynaldo Aba-a in Round 6. (PNA)