INTERNATIONAL MASTER Michael Concio, Jr. swept his final two games to salvage third place in the Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships blitz competitions at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay on Sunday.
Concio, who finished ninth in the standard competition that ended earlier in the day, tallied seven points on six wins, two draws and only one loss in the 32-player tournament organized by the Asian Chess Federation and hosted by the Tagaytay City government.
IM Artem Uskov of Russia captured the title with eight points, while IM Kuong Duy Dau of Vietnam placed second with 7.5 points.
Uskov’s lone setback came at the hands of Concio in the third round.
The 19-year-old Concio won over K. D. Kodithuwakku of Sri Lanka, Andrei Ainsley Dolorosa of the Philippines, Uskov, Munkhdal Amilal of Mongolia, CM Yashai Bharadia of India and IM Cristiano Manish of India.
He drew against K. Rohith of India and compatriot FM Gian Karlo Arca and lost to Dau.
Arca and newly-minted GM Daniel Quizon Jr. led two other players in sixth to ninth places with 4.5 points.
Arca, the highest-placed Filipino in the standard competition in eighth place, posted four wins, three draws and two losses in the blitz.
Quizon, who earned his GM title during the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, submitted five wins, one draw and three losses.
Dolorosa finished 12th with five points.
The other Filipino players were Danry Seth Romualdez, (4.5 points), Phil Martin Caiguran (4.5 points), Almwayne Magpusao (4 points) and Yuri Lei Paraguya (4 points).
In the girls’ blitz tournament, Woman Fide Master Mukherjee Bristy of India won with eight points.
Hoang Tu Linh Luong of Vietnam finished second with seven points, while WIM Zeinep Sultanbek of Kazakhstan, Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka and WIM Ana Shukhman of Russia shared third to fifth places with six points.
Apple Rubin, the pride of Toledo City, was the highest-placed Filipina in 13th spot with four points
Another Filipina, Jemaicah Yap Mendoza, also wound up with four points but settled for 15th place after the tiebreak.
Arleah Cassandra Sapuan and Deandra Castronuevo came in 17th and 18th places with 3.5 points and three points, respectively.
The 10-day competition was supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commisison.
