HCM CITY — Chinese GM and third seed Ni Hua won the second HD Bank International Open Chess Tournament yesterday with eight points after nine games.

Top seed and local favourite GM Le Quang Liem was second with 7.5 points and received a prize of US$5,000. Ni, 29, drew with second seed GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son in the ninth and last game to win the title and $10,000.

Son finished third with 6.5 points, sharing the prize with five other players, who had the same number of points. They were followed by seven players with six points and 16 players with 5.5 points.

"The game against Liem (the top seed) the toughest game for me in the tournament. I was losing the game, but was lucky to come back and hold on for a draw," said Ni, China's former number one.

Ni was unbeaten through the tournament.

"I am happy with the result. I have played better than at the two previous tournaments," Liem said. He finished seventh at English Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Championship and failed to defend his title at the Aeroflot Open in Moscow.

Meanwhile, WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen earned six points to win the first prize of $1,500, followed by compatriot WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An and China's WGM Gu Xiaobing. — VNS