The class of Lai Ly Huynh

VHO - Vietnam's number one chess player, Lai Ly Huynh, won the runner-up position at the 2026 Wuyang Cup "super chess tournament". For the first time in the tournament's 45-year history, a player not from host country China reached the final. This confirms Lai Ly Huynh's class and talent.

A journey filled with emotion and pride.

To reach the final, Lai Ly Huynh displayed extremely consistent form right from the group stage. With 3 wins and 3 draws, he earned a total of 12 points, finishing first in Group B and securing the only ticket to the knockout round. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that the Wuyang Cup is one of the most demanding chess tournaments in the world , bringing together most of China's top players.

Lai Ly Huynh (left) in the final match against Trinh Vu Dong

Entering the quarterfinals, the player born in 1990 faced the home team's top player, Trieu Phan Vi. Against a very strong opponent, Lai Ly Huynh played brilliantly. He won convincingly in the first game with a proactive and well-calculated style of play, before securing a solid draw in the second game. The final score of 3-1 allowed the Vietnamese representative to proudly advance to the final, creating a historic milestone.

In the championship match, Lai Ly Huynh faced the home player Trinh Vu Dong. In the first game, the Vietnamese player had the advantage of playing first and started very well. He controlled the game from the opening to the middle game, and even created a significant advantage in the endgame.

Unfortunately, at the crucial moment, Lai Ly Huynh was unable to capitalize on the opportunity to finish the game, and had to accept a disappointing draw.

In the return game, playing with the black pieces, the Vietnamese player faced more difficulties in the middle game. Under constant pressure from his opponent, the small advantages gradually shifted in favor of Trinh Vu Dong. The Chinese master capitalized on the opportunity to win the game and claim the championship.

Despite finishing as runner-up, Lai Ly Huynh's achievement is still particularly significant. He became the first player from outside China in the history of the Wuyang Cup to reach the final.

This milestone not only affirms the individual prowess of Lai Ly Huynh, but also demonstrates that Vietnamese chess is increasingly narrowing the gap with the world's number one chess power.

Shatter the doubts, affirm your class.

The runner-up position at the 2026 Ngũ Dương Cup "super chess tournament" not only holds professional significance but also serves as a resounding answer from Lại Lý Huynh to all the doubts that had surrounded him.

At the start of 2026, Lai Ly Huynh experienced a forgettable period. Since his historic world championship victory in September 2025, his performance has shown signs of stagnation.

The runner-up position at the 2026 Wuyang Cup affirmed Lai Ly Huynh's class and talent.

Both domestically and internationally, the chess player from Vinh Long has failed to add any more titles to his collection. His failures in rapid chess tournaments have led experts to question his abilities, while fans are understandably worried.

In China, dissenting opinions following Lai Ly Huynh's world championship victory have resurfaced. Some argue that he benefited from the absence of many of their top-ranked grandmasters due to the match-fixing scandal.

The invisible pressure therefore weighed even more heavily on the shoulders of Vietnam's number one chess player as he entered the Ngũ Dương Cup - a tournament considered the most rigorous test of skill in the world of Chinese chess.

But on the standard chessboard, Lai Ly Huynh responded with his expertise. Each game was solid, his calculations thorough, and his ability to withstand blows allowed him to advance all the way to the final. This journey was particularly impressive considering he had to repeatedly face top Chinese players on their home turf.

Finishing as runner-up, Lai Ly Huynh's performance was highly praised by experts. More importantly, he proved that performance in rapid chess tournaments doesn't fully reflect one's true skill level.

Returning to the familiar "stage" of standard chess – which demands depth of calculation and strategic prowess – Vietnamese chess players remain among the world's elite.

Concluding his journey in early 2026, Lai Ly Huynh sent a clear message: the mettle of a world champion cannot be denied by a few temporary results. And with his performance at the Wuyang Cup, he once again affirmed his true position and class.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/dang-cap-cua-lai-ly-huynh-208087.html