VietNam Culture: Vietnamese chess

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Master defends crown

Making his move: Vietnamese chess master Le Quang Liem on his way to winning his first match at the Aeroflot Open tournament in Moscow. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI – Le Quang Liem is on track to defend his title at the Russian International Chess Festival Aeroflot Open in Moscow.

Liem won his first round match over Andrey Zhigalko of Bulgaria on Tuesday and will meet Chinese Xiu Deshun who beat Romain Edouard of France next round.

Liem's strongest rivals include six international super grandmasters and eight international grandmasters, including Gata Kamsky of the US, Sergei Movsesian of Armnia, Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia and Maxime Vachier Lagrave of France.

Competitors range from unrated to highly rated taking part in three open tournaments, each of which is a nine-round Swiss event.

Liem is among 130 candidates in tournament A, the highest level, competing for a bonus of 20,000 euros (US$29,300) for the title winner who also will be entitled to participate in a round-robin Super Tournament in Dortmund in the second half of July.

There will also be prizes for the best performance among seniors, women and juniors in all tournaments and a prize for the best result by an unrated player in tournament C.

The festival will conclude on February 17

Liem has recently announced that he will be competing for three foreign teams this year.

Liem is the world No 79 will represent Germany's Bremen at the German Clubs Cup, Evry Grand Roque at the French Chess League Top 16 and Chinese Qingdao Yucai at China's Chess League Division A in March, April and June, respectively.

The HCM City-born master is first ever Vietnamese chess master to play for foreign clubs.

Liem will later take part in the World Chess Championships in Khanty Mansiysk in Russia from August 20 to September 15 and the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in November.

Liem whose ELO rating of 2,664 is aiming to break into the top 40 with an ELO rating of over 2,700 in 2011. — VNS

Monday, January 10, 2011

Vietnam masters lose at HDBank 2011 chessfest

Le Quang Liem

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Top-seed Le Quang Liem and second-seed Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son failed to win top prizes at the HDBank 2011 chess tournament, which wrapped up Sunday in Ho Chi Minh City’s Rex Hotel.

After nine matches, these grandmasters each earned 6.5 points and were ranked at 4th and 5th respectively. They were awarded $1,500 each.

“They are considered top contenders for the championship so are under great pressure. In addition, their rivals are all excited to compete with them because they think it’s an honor to defeat the top-seeds and nothing to lose if they fail,” Vietnamese chess coach Lam Minh Chau said.

Grandmaster Yu Yangyi from China with 7 points won the championship title with a cash prize of $6,000 while his fellowman Wen Yang contented with the second prize of $4,000.

Meanwhile in the women single, Vietnamese chess player Nguyen Thi Mai Huong secured the top prize with 4.5 points after nine matches and was awarded cash prize of $600.

The organizers also awarded two “Promising Young Chess Player” prizes to Le Thanh Tai of Vietnam and Lu Shanglei of China.

The week-long tournament has attracted 30 Vietnamese players and 35 others from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Ukraine.

VietNam Culture