Vietnam Chess Team is ready to compete at the 2025 Youth and World Championships

The Vietnamese chess team will compete at the 2025 World Youth Championship from September 21-27 in Shanghai, China. Two of the team's most prominent names, Nguyen Thanh Bao and Lai Ly Huynh, promise to bring surprises to Vietnamese chess at this tournament.

18 best players compete in the 2025 world championship

According to Decision No. 86 of the Vietnam Chess Federation, the Vietnamese chess team consists of 6 coaches and 18 athletes. Of which, 4 athletes compete in the championship category: Nguyen Thanh Bao, Lai Ly Huynh, Dam Thi Thuy Dung, Kieu Bich Thuy.

Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao will go to China to compete in the 2025 World Championship.

Specifically, in the men's championship, with the participation of the familiar pair Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao, Vietnamese Chess hopes to end China's 18 consecutive world championships for men. Because, in this year's tournament, the host team China is missing a series of masters due to their involvement in the match-fixing scandal such as: Vuong Thien Nhat, Trinh Duy Dong, Trieu Ham Ham, Tu Sieu and Tuong Xuyen.

The two Chinese representatives participating in this tournament are Meng Fanrui (17 years old) and Yin Sheng (20 years old). However, according to experts, it will not be easy for Li Huynh and Cheng Bao to defeat these players who are considered chess prodigies. Not to mention that they still need to overcome the number one Chinese chess player who plays for the Macau team, Cao Yan Lei.

In addition to the championship system, the young faces participating in the U16 age group of Vietnamese Chess, include 8 players: Do Manh Thang, Hoang Nhat Minh Huy, Vu Xuan Bach, Ngo Minh An, Tran Bich Phuong, Pham Huu Minh, Le Ngoc Minh Khue, Nguyen Thuy Duong.

In addition, the players competing in the U12 age group include (6 athletes): Tran Nguyen Minh Hang, Truong Thanh Van, Lam Hoang Hai Ngoc, Chu Duc Huy, Nguyen Dang Khoa, Truong Gia Han.

The World Xiangqi Championship is held every two years, in odd years. Through 18 editions, China has won all 18 times in the men's singles event. Vietnam's best achievements were by Thanh Bao and Ly Huynh when they won 02 silver medals in Shandong in 2009 and Houston in 2023, respectively.

Expecting Achievement - Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao

At this World Championship, there is nothing new when the expectation of medals continues to be placed on two veteran names, Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao. This is based on the fact that these two players have a lot of experience in competing in major tournaments; have for themselves an admirable record of achievements as well as prestigious titles of Vietnamese Chess.

Lai Ly Huynh (born in 1990) is one of the most successful chess players in Vietnam, with many national and international titles, including 6 times National Chess Championship (most recently in 2025), 2 times World Rapid Chess Championship (2022, 2023), 1 World Team Gold Medal (2022) and 1 World Standard Chess Individual Silver Medal (2023). He is currently considered the number 1 chess player in Vietnam and holds the title of Special International Grandmaster; he is considered by chess fans to be the most talented chess player in the history of modern Vietnamese Chess.

In the continental arena, participating in the ASIAD for the first time in 2010 in Guangzhou, Lai Ly Huynh finished 5th overall at the age of 20. At the 2023 ASIAD , Lai Ly Huynh won a silver medal in the men's and women's team and a bronze medal in the individual event.

At the regional arena - SEA Games, Lai Ly Huynh won the 31st SEA Games gold medal in the men's team event and the 32nd SEA Games gold medal in the individual event. Lai Ly Huynh became the only player in Southeast Asia to have 2 gold medals in 2 consecutive SEA Games and he is also the most successful player in the regional arena.

Although Ly Huynh has achieved many achievements, in his specialty - individual standard chess, his fans, and even himself, always yearn to win a gold medal at a world-level tournament so that he can stand shoulder to shoulder with the legends of Vietnamese Chess, the seniors of the previous generation.

Nguyen Thanh Bao – a name that is no longer strange to those who love Vietnamese Chess. With his natural talent and constant training, this player has left a strong mark in the country’s Chess community.

Starting his career in the late 1990s, Nguyen Thanh Bao quickly made an impression with his outstanding talent. In 1998, he became the first Vietnamese player to win the Asian Youth Xiangqi Championship in Jiangsu, China. Then, in 2009, he won a silver medal at the World Xiangqi Championship, (one of the highest achievements a Vietnamese player has achieved in the international arena).

In domestic tournaments, Nguyen Thanh Bao is the only player to have won the Vietnam Xiangqi Championship three times in the standard category (2007, 2011, and 2023), demonstrating his consistency and outstanding talent over many years of top-level competition. He also won first place individually at the 2005 National Xiangqi Team Championship and second place at the 2006 National Xiangqi Championship, and also won the National Xiangqi Championship at the 2006 Sports Festival.

Notable achievements in 2022 were when he and Lai Ly Huynh won the gold medal in rapid chess at the 31st SEA Games and the World Xiangqi Championship in the team event. In 2023, Nguyen Thanh Bao had an impressive performance when he won the championship in the standard chess event at the A1 National Championship, after a 12-year absence. He also finished second in the rapid chess event, continuing to show top form in both categories.

In the same year 2023, Nguyen Thanh Bao was recruited by the Zhejiang Chess Team (China) and competed in the Inter-level Jiaxing Tournament. This was a new turning point in his international career, opening up opportunities to confront strong opponents and further strengthening his reputation in the international arena.

With the available experience and understanding from many years of being teammates, Vietnamese Chess puts its faith in the victories of both Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/doi-tuyen-co-tuong-viet-nam-san-sang-tranh-tai-tai-giai-tre-va-vo-dich-the-gioi-2025-20250827141831068.htm