A chess player from Ho Chi Minh City pulled off a shocking victory against a top-ranked Chinese chess player (ranked 7th).

It's not Lai Ly Huynh, but Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang who is shining brightly at the prestigious Ky Thanh Cup international chess tournament, taking place in China.

Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang is a veteran figure in the Southern Vietnamese chess scene - Photo: Vietnam Chess Federation

Held from May 21st to 24th in Chengdu (Sichuan), the Qicheng Cup (China-ASEAN Cup) is a prestigious international tournament in the Chinese chess community. The tournament brings together almost all of the strongest players in Asia, including Lai Li Huynh.

Besides Lai Ly Huynh, Vietnam also has one other player participating in the tournament: Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang, representing Ho Chi Minh City.

If Lai Ly Huynh is among the 12 players granted direct entry into the Ky Thanh Cup finals, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang will have to compete against more than 80 top players from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asian countries, etc., in the qualifying round.

On May 21st, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang won all three qualifying matches, securing his coveted spot in the Ky Thanh Cup finals.

There are 32 players participating in this stage, which is played in a single-round knockout format.

On the morning of May 22nd, both Lai Ly Huynh and Nhat Quang achieved impressive victories. While "Nam Phuong Cong Tu" defeated Tai Dat, his teammate also advanced after beating Nhu Nhat Thuan - both are top-ranked players in the mainland chess scene.

The real challenge came in the second round – the round of 16. Lai Ly Huynh had to face Hoang Quang Dinh – the current number 4 ranked player in China. Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang's opponent was the "prodigy" Luu Bach Hoanh.

Nhat Quang competes in Ky Thanh Cup - Photo: BAIDU

Despite not yet having celebrated his 17th birthday, Liu Baihong has joined the top ranks in China. He ranked 7th nationally in the rankings published by the Chinese Chess Association (CXA) in mid-May.

At the Wuyang Cup, Liu Baihong drew with Lai Lihuang in both of their encounters, making him the main competitor for the Vietnamese player in the group stage. Ultimately, Lai Lihuang only advanced due to a narrower point difference.

Child prodigy Liu Baihong - Photo: BAIDU

Recently, Liu Baihong defeated "chess king" Wang Yubo in the semi-finals of the Xin Tai Cup, demonstrating his extremely high level of skill and form.

But then, facing Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang, who was almost twice his age (Quang was born in 1994), Luu Bach Hoanh had to accept defeat.

According to the organizers, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang defeated Luu Bach Hoanh after more than two hours of intense fighting.

Meanwhile, Lai Ly Huynh was unable to overcome Hoang Quang Dinh - the current fourth-ranked chess master in mainland China.

Thus, the hopes of the Vietnamese chess community at the Ky Thanh Cup will rest on Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang - who has secured a place in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

The total prize money for the Qicheng Cup is 421,000 yuan (1.6 billion VND), with a grand prize of 100,000 yuan (nearly 400 million VND) for the winner. Simply reaching the final round guarantees each player at least 5,000 yuan (20 million VND).

In the final round, the tournament will be played in a knockout format. Players will compete in a single game, with a time limit of 40 minutes plus 20 seconds per move. If the game ends in a draw, the players will proceed to a rapid chess game, followed by a blitz game to determine the winner.

This is considered an extremely intense format. In regular tournaments, each chess match consists of two games with the first move, and there is usually a group stage.

In the Ky Thanh Cup, the single-game format in the knockout brackets virtually leaves players with no opportunity to correct mistakes.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ky-thu-tp-hcm-thang-soc-cao-thu-hang-7-co-tuong-trung-quoc-20260522170903111.htm