Vietnamese player is world rapid chess youth champion

By Hoang Nguyen   September 13, 2019 | 07:11 pm PT
Vietnamese player is world rapid chess youth champion
Nguyen Thien Ngan at the World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2019. Photo by Nguoi Lao Dong.
Nguyen Thien Ngan has won the rapid chess category U14 at the World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess 2019 held in Spain.

After nine matches, Ngan (Elo 1,643) had 7.5 points to finish first in the category. She beat much stronger opponents like the first seeded player Foreest Machteld from Netherlands (Elo 2,086) and third seeded Liya Kurmangaliyeva of Kazakhstan (1, 804). Ngan’s only loss was against her compatriot Luong Hoang Tu Linh, who finished with the bronze medal.

In the men's rapid category, Nguyen Anh Khoi (Elo 2,198) finished second with seven points, same as gold medalist Dutch Lucas Van Foreest, but lost out in additional stats. Khoi’s run was a bit inconsistent as he beat first seeded Sonis Francesco (2, 642) and third seeded Felix Blohberger (2, 270), but lost to 10th seeded David Stevanic.

Khoi became a grandmaster just last week, making him the 11th Vietnamese player to achieve that distinction.

Vietnam also won a silver in the U14 category with Vo Pham Thien Phuc and another silver in the U18 category with Le Thuy An.

The World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2019 is being held in Salobrena, Spain from September 10 to 14 with the participation of 183 players from 23 countries. Vietnam has 14 players competing in the tournament.

 
 
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