Vietnamese chess competes in world tournament

VHO - The Vietnamese chess team is in Shanghai (China) and has entered the first day of competition (September 22) at the 2025 World Chess Championship.

Vietnam will compete in the World Chess Championship with 6 coaches and 18 players. In the men's team category, the familiar pair of players Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao will return to compete in the tournament.

Nguyen Thanh Bao (left) plays game 1 of standard chess

These two players have won the national championship a total of 9 times and regularly represent Vietnam in international competitions.

With this force, the team can expect to end China's 18 consecutive world men's individual chess championship.

At the 2025 World Championship, the host team China will be missing a series of top players 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 Fan Rui (17 years old) and Doan Thang (20 years old). However, it will not be easy for Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao to defeat these players considered to be "child prodigies" of Chinese chess.

Vietnam's best achievements in this event are 2 silver medals by Nguyen Thanh Bao in 2009 and Lai Ly Huynh in 2023.

At the 2022 World Championships in Malaysia, Lai Ly Huynh and Nguyen Thanh Bao performed excellently, winning the gold medal in the men's doubles event, thereby breaking China's dominance in this event.

At the most recent World Championship in 2023 in the US, Nguyen Thanh Bao did not participate but Lai Ly Huynh excellently won the individual silver medal, this is considered the best achievement of this player up to now.

The tournament is also an opportunity for young players to demonstrate their abilities.

In the women's team category, Vietnam sent Dam Thi Thuy Dung and Kieu Bich Thuy.

The delegation also sent young players to compete in the U16 men's group (Do Manh Thang, Hoang Nhat Minh Huy, Vu Xuan Bach and Pham Huu Minh), U16 women's group (Ngo Minh An, Tran Bich Phuong, Le Ngoc Minh Khue and Nguyen Thuy Duong).

The U12 male content includes Chu Duc Huy and Nguyen Dang Khoa, and the U12 female content includes: Tran Nguyen Minh Hang, Truong Thanh Van, Lam Hoang Hai Ngoc and Truong Gia Han.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang - Head of the Chess Department of the Vietnam Sports Administration, along with many experienced coaches providing professional support, promises to effectively support the players in bringing glory to the country.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/co-tuong-viet-nam-thi-dau-giai-the-gioi-169584.html