The story of the new world chess champion Lai Ly Huynh

Two years ago, I was so sad when Lai Ly Huynh lost the championship title to Manh Than (China) in the final match of the world championship.

But yesterday (September 27), I almost cried tears of happiness when I witnessed Lai Ly Huynh - a young man born in 1990 - become the first Vietnamese chess player to make history, stepping onto the highest podium of world chess after 35 years of waiting!

What's special about Lai Ly Huynh

There are many memories with Huynh, but I would like to start with the story of the new world champion’s teacher – Coach Nguyen Thanh Khiet. He was a disabled person, had difficulty walking, was a vegetarian, always lived a calm, gentle life, and was respected by people in the chess world.

Lai Ly Huynh is especially excellent.

Exactly 20 years ago, by chance, I sent teacher Khiet and his favorite student Lai Ly Huynh, who was only 15 years old at the time, a set of software to practice chess. I thought that gift was just to help Huynh have more means to practice more (that year, the young Huynh showed his talent early when he unexpectedly won 1 game against famous chess player Trenh A Sang at the national team tournament), but unexpectedly, for Huynh, practicing with software is an effective means to train strict calculation thinking, reducing "emotionality" in chess competitions. Not long after, the chess community spread the story of young talent Lai Ly Huynh "getting addicted to software" because he often spent 7-8 hours practicing chess with the computer. This was different at that time, because most chess players preferred to practice in chess arenas rather than facing an inanimate screen, and playing with the computer was often very... frustrating (no matter how you play, you lose!).

Lai Ly Huynh - the son of a barber, began to practice chess systematically under the guidance of a disciplined teacher at the youth chess team of Ca Mau province, and soon instilled in himself the determination to rise up with his burning passion. I once heard that Huynh saved his bonus and training fees to buy himself a laptop with a powerful configuration, enough to run copyrighted software in order to make the most of his time for practice. It is not by chance that later, the Vietnamese chess community recognized Lai Ly Huynh as the player with the best opening foundation, the most methodical and scientific chess style, even before this young man won the national championship.

Lai Ly Huynh stands on the highest podium of the world championship

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY FLAG TEAM

Huynh's chess skills were honed through hard training, after hours of studying on the computer, following his "brothers" to chess arenas, ready to compete with any "general" or "colonel" level master in the chess world of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern provinces at that time. When he was only 19 years old, he was first included in the national team for the world tournament. The meticulousness in chess is similar to the professionalism in Huynh's life: absolutely staying away from stimulants and gambling to focus on developing his chess skills.

No domestic competitors

In 2013 (23 years old), Lai Ly Huynh first stepped onto the highest podium at the national tournament. With an extremely tight and scientific chess style, Lai Ly Huynh quickly affirmed his absolute No. 1 position in the country's chess community from then until now. Huynh has won the national championship in standard chess 6 times and countless times won the rapid chess and blitz chess titles at national tournaments. Notably, "Nam Phuong Cong Tu" (the nickname that the chess media affectionately gave him) was also the first Vietnamese chess player to be invited to compete in the Chinese professional team tournament, once contributing to the Hang Chau team winning the championship of the most prestigious tournament in the neighboring country.

After missing out on the opportunity at the 2023 World Championship, Huynh was not discouraged. He diligently practiced and studied the top chess games of China's top players, hoping that one day... And that day has come. Before the final match, Huynh drew with both Doan Thang and "child prodigy" Manh Phan Due - 2 representatives of host China, thereby strengthening his belief that he would make history. In the final match yesterday, Huynh continued to face many difficulties with Doan Thang's "leadership" style of play (actively opening differently from the usual playbook). But at that most difficult moment, Huynh showed his ability to withstand great psychological pressure, making the most of his opponent's mistakes to regain the advantage and win in the overwhelming joy of the large number of chess fans in the country who watched the match online.

Winning the championship is difficult, keeping it will certainly be much more difficult. Huynh won the championship thanks to his bravery, skill and ability to seize the opportunity (a series of top Chinese players were banned from competing in the "major surgery" of the neighboring country's chess village). But this achievement does not mean that the level of Vietnamese chess is on par with China's in terms of level. There is still a lot to do, including a stronger and more comprehensive investment in chess players so that intellectual sports in general, and Vietnamese chess in particular, can continue to develop their potential and maintain their position in the international arena!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-ve-nha-tan-vo-dich-co-tuong-the-gioi-lai-ly-huynh-185250927193956943.htm