Vietnamese chess affirms its position

THE LEADER BIRD LAI LY HUYNH

At the recently concluded World Chess Championship in the US, Vietnam's No. 1 player Lai Ly Huynh caused regret when he missed out on the gold medal in the standard chess event to player Manh Than (China). However, in the rapid chess event, he got his revenge when he successfully defended his championship title, bringing joy and great pride to his fans.

Lai Ly Huynh (right) brings Vietnamese chess to fly high in the international arena.

NVCC

Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang, in charge of the chess department of the Department of Sports and Physical Training, said that in the past 10 years, it is no coincidence that Lai Ly Huynh has firmly held the position of the number 1 chess player in Vietnam. Thanks to his diligence and serious practice of chess for 8 hours every day, the player nicknamed "Nam Phuong Cong Tu" has continuously improved. "Not only does it help Vietnamese chess dominate Southeast Asia every time chess is included in sports festivals or regional tournaments, the talents of Lai Ly Huynh, Nguyen Thanh Bao, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang... also help Vietnamese chess maintain its position in the world arena, second only to China," said Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang.

Lai Ly Huynh (middle) is the world champion of rapid chess.

One of the keys to Lai Ly Huynh's success, according to his teammate Nguyen Thanh Bao, is his training in top tournaments in China. From a player with chess strength outside the world's top 30, after continuously competing with Chinese chess masters in the Jia-level inter-team championship, Lai Ly Huynh is now firmly in the world's top 20 players, playing on par with many Chinese chess masters.

DEEP INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE

Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang said that the achievement of 2 gold medals and 3 silver medals that the Vietnamese chess team won at this world championship exceeded the set target, showing the great efforts of the whole team. Another good sign is that in addition to the confirmed talent of the leader Lai Ly Huynh, Vietnamese chess introduced a group of talented young players, including Tran Nguyen Minh Hang who excellently won the gold medal in the U.12 female age group.

"The chess movement in localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, and Bac Giang is receiving systematic investment with all routes. From here, we expect to discover many young talents to invest in and develop to the top. The path to success of Lai Ly Huynh, Nguyen Thanh Bao, and Nguyen Hoang Yen is an example for young players to follow," said Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang.

U.12 World Champion Tran Nguyen Minh Hang

Veteran player Nguyen Thanh Bao admitted that young players need to be given more opportunities to train and compete internationally to replace their seniors. "I and players like Uong Duong Bac and Ton That Nhat Tan will soon be surpassed by the younger generation of athletes. We need to encourage and support young, inexperienced players so that they can mature over time. For young Vietnamese chess talents, the future is wide open if they are well cared for and invested in," said player Thanh Bao.

Coach of the Vietnamese chess team, Diep Khai Nguyen, emphasized that the number of Vietnamese chess players is constantly growing. The mass tournaments and forum tournaments are held continuously with high professional quality, which is a valuable opportunity for scouts to discover talents for Vietnamese chess. The goal of Vietnamese chess is to maintain its high position in the Southeast Asian arena, moving towards taking over the world's No. 1 position that Chinese chess currently holds.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-tuong-viet-nam-khang-dinh-vi-the-185231127235803983.htm