MANILA, Philippines – Filipino International Master Michael Concio Jr. trounced Indian FIDE Master Arjun Adireddy in the sixth round to share top spot in the 2024 Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City.
The 19-year-old Concio, a 2021 World Chess Cup campaigner, handled black aggressively to prevail in 32 moves of the Ruy Lopez and catch up with defending champion Grandmaster Aleksey Grebnev of Russia and seventh seed IM Munkhdalai Amilal of Mongolia at 5.0 points each.
Concio notched his fourth win against draws with the top-seeded Grebnev and fellow Russian IM Artem Uskov.
Grebnev and Uskov split the point in 51 moves of the Catalan, while Amilal defeated Indian Candidate Master Yash Bharadia in 40 moves of the Sicilian.
Uskov trails the pacesetters with 4.5 points, towing new Filipino sensation FM Gian Karlo Arca, third-seeded Indian IM S. Aswath, and three other 4-pointers.
The crucial seventh round pits Concio — a student of Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Dasmariñas in Cavite — against Aswath and No. 12 FM Gian Karlo Arca of the Philippines.
Aswath bested Filipino David Sean Romualdez, while Arca, winner of a GM-laden tournament in Vietnam in May, drew with compatriot Andrei Ainsley Dolorosa.
In the girls’ division, reigning titlist WIM G.Tejawisni of India snapped Russian WIM Anna Shukhman’s unbeaten run.
Tejaswinji climbed to second place with 4.5 points in a tie with fellow Indian No. 6 H. Sneha, who defeated ACM Ainul Afif Mohd of Malaysia.
Shukhman remained on top with 5.0 points.
Kazakh WFM Kristina Popandopalu also kept her drive going with 4.0 points following a victory over Indian WFM V. Rindhiya.
World Youth Championship-bound Jemaicah Yap Mendoza stunned Indian WFM Gupta Shubi in 52 moves of the Queen’s Pawn to improve to 3.5 points, while Arleah Cassandra Sapuan toppled Taiwanese Pin-I Chen of Taipei to tally 3.0 points in the event organized by the Asian Chess Federation and the Tagaytay City government. – Rappler.com