Young chess player Nguyen Vu Bao Chau won the U8 women's world blitz chess championship

(NLDO) - Defeating all 11 opponents from European chess powerhouses, Nguyen Vu Bao Chau won the U8 women's blitz chess championship at the 2024 World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship.

Arriving in Durres city - Albania just one day before the tournament started, the young Vietnamese players, due to jet lag and not having time to adapt after the difficult flight, were unable to maintain their concentration in the decisive games.

Vietnamese players continuously led the rapid chess tournaments, but in the end, only Nguyen Vu Bao Chau managed to win a silver medal in the U8 female age group.

Vietnam youth chess team attends world tournament in Albania

Continuing to compete in the blitz chess event on April 28, the Vietnamese team finally reached the highest position. Nguyen Vu Bao Chau, still the number 1 seed in the U8 women's group with Elo 1,607, won all 11 games to bring home the only gold medal for the Vietnamese youth chess team.

In addition to Bao Chau, Nguyen Truong An Khang won silver medal in the U10 male age group and Nguyen Minh Chi won bronze medal in the U12 female age group.

Nguyen Vu Bao Chau won the U8 age group championship

Participating in the world tournament for the first time, Nguyen Vu Bao Chau achieved unexpected results with a championship and a runner-up title.

Although she is only 8 years old this year, little Bao Chau has been playing chess for 4 years. One time, when her mother took her brother to chess class, the 4-year-old girl was fascinated by the chess pieces and insisted on her mother letting her learn chess with her brother.

Just 3 months later, she topped the selection round for the key chess talent line of Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Vu Bao Chau won silver medal in rapid chess

At first, the parents only thought of letting Bao Chau and his siblings get acquainted with intellectual sports so that they would have the opportunity to play with friends, away from the useless games that were appearing everywhere.

However, when witnessing the two brothers passionately playing chess together every day, Bao Chau's parents decided to clearly guide their children to pursue chess long-term.

In addition to the achievement of winning absolute gold medals in all three events (standard, rapid, blitz) at the Youth Chess Championship and the National Youth Chess Championship in 2022 and 2023; Bao Chau also won the gold medal in the standard chess team and the silver medal in the U8 female standard chess individual at the Southeast Asian Youth Chess Championship in 2023, when she turned 7 years old.

Bao Chau and the U8 women's blitz chess championship cup

When asked about their young daughter who just won the U8 world championship, Bao Chau's parents revealed that their daughter dreams of becoming a female chess grandmaster in the future.

The road to conquering the child's dream is still very far and full of difficulties, however, every day seeing the child live fully with passion, the family always tells themselves that they will try their best to help the child realize his dream.

The 2024 World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship takes place from April 25 to 29 in Durres, Albania with the participation of 375 young players from 43 countries and territories, competing in six groups including U8, U10 and U12 for men and women.

Nguyen Truong An Khang won silver medal in men's U10 blitz chess

Achievements of the Vietnamese youth chess team :

- Nguyen Vu Bao Chau (U8 female): Gold medal in blitz chess, Silver medal in rapid chess

- Nguyen Truong An Khang (U10 men): Silver medal in blitz chess

- Nguyen Minh Chi (U12 female): Bronze medal in blitz chess

- Nguyen Luong Vu (U10 men): 4th place in blitz chess

- Mai Duy Hung (U8 male): 4th place in blitz chess

- Pham Nhu Y (U10 female): 5th place in rapid chess

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ky-thu-nhi-nguyen-vu-bao-chau-vo-dich-co-chop-u8-nu-the-gioi-196240429181551382.htm