Lai Ly Huynh continues his great victory on Chinese soil.

On the morning of May 22nd, chess players Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang made an impressive debut at the Ky Thanh Cup, a prestigious international chess tournament held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Lai Ly Huynh continues to shine in prestigious Chinese chess tournaments - Photo: YCWB

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 another player participating in the tournament, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang. This player is also a familiar face in international tournaments.

While Lai Ly Huynh was among the 12 players granted direct entry into the finals, Nhat Quang had to participate in the qualifying round with over 80 other players. The qualifying round took place on May 21st, and the player from Ho Chi Minh City won all 3 matches to secure one of the remaining 20 spots in the finals.

On the morning of May 22nd, the first round of the finals took place, with 32 players competing in a knockout format.

Lai Ly Huynh is in the upper bracket, facing Tai Dat from Beijing. Meanwhile, Nguyen Minh Nhat Quang will play against Nhu Nhat Thuan.

According to the organizers, both Vietnamese players emerged victorious after approximately two hours of intense competition.

Tournament bracket for the final round of the Ky Thanh Cup - Photo: Vietnam Chess Federation

Lai Ly Huynh's opponent will be the winner of the match between Hoa Than Hao and Hoang Quang Dinh. The result of this match is not yet known. But whoever advances, a huge challenge awaits Lai Ly Huynh in round 2 because both of these players are in the top 20 in China.

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/lai-ly-huynh-tiep-tuc-dai-thang-บน-dat-trung-quoc-20260522105154788.htm