Ho Chi Minh City's chess team dominates the national arena.

Apart from the shock defeat of Lai Ly Huynh in the standard chess category, Ho Chi Minh City's chess team swept most of the individual titles at the 2026 National Chess Championship.

Many explanations have been offered regarding world champion Lai Ly Huynh's elimination in the quarterfinals of the standard chess event, thus failing to defend his title won last season. "Nam Phuong Cong Tu" also missed the opportunity to win his first national gold medal representing his newly merged unit, Ho Chi Minh City.

"Incident" Lai Ly Huynh

No one understands the situation better than those involved, and only Lai Ly Huynh can accurately explain his defeat. The 35-year-old's early elimination by Phi Manh Cuong, a supposedly weaker opponent, was a major surprise of the tournament.

Despite numerous rumors and speculations, including negative ones, none have been substantiated. In fact, Lai Ly Huynh's gold medal in rapid chess and subsequent silver medal in blitz chess demonstrate his strong determination and commitment to maintaining his top position.

Concluding the tournament in Lao Cai , the Ho Chi Minh City team demonstrated comprehensive superiority, dominating in almost all competition categories, from professional to traditional. This success is no longer the achievement of a few individuals; it clearly reflects the strength of the system – where Ho Chi Minh City maintains its "dominant" position on the Vietnamese chess map.

Dominating the women's league

Most impressive was the women's section, where players from Ho Chi Minh City almost swept all the important titles. Dam Thi Thuy Dung continued to assert her class by successfully defending her standard chess championship title, and also winning a gold medal in the super blitz chess event. Her consistency helped her maintain her position as the new "queen" of Vietnamese chess.

Nguyen Hoang Yen (right) and Dam Thi Thuy Dung won all four gold medals for the Ho Chi Minh City team. (Photo: NGUYEN THUA)

In addition, Nguyen Hoang Yen continued to be a highlight by winning two gold medals in both rapid and blitz chess. She has affirmed her perseverance and class as one of the nation's top chess players for over a decade.

Take a step ahead

In the men's professional category, Lai Ly Huynh, despite not meeting expectations in the standard chess event, still managed to assert his class by winning the gold medal in rapid chess. He, along with Vu Quoc Dat – the champion of blitz and super blitz chess – created a strong partnership for chess in Ho Chi Minh City.

Overall, the results at the 2026 National Chess Championship are not simply about the number of medals. More importantly, it's about how Ho Chi Minh City builds its team: combining seasoned veterans with a promising new generation.

This continuous succession is what helps Ho Chi Minh City not only maintain its current dominance in Vietnamese chess but also ensure its long-term advantage in the future.

While other localities are still struggling to find solutions to the training problem, Ho Chi Minh City has taken a step ahead, creating an ever-widening gap.

That gap is not only reflected in the medals, but also in the entire system, as the rest have yet to catch up.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/co-tuong-tp-hcm-ap-dao-dau-truong-quoc-gia-196260412202756945.htm