Grandmaster Le Quang Liem has been awarded a four-year scholarship at Webster University in the US, a worldwide institution.

Liem is the first Vietnamese person to receive a scholarship to develop his academic studies thanks to his outstanding achievements in chess.

Liem said he might choose to study finance and banking, which is also his major at Sai Gon University.

Liem, world No 44, is the first ever chess master to win the Aeroflot Open in consecutive years. He also triumphed at the Spice Cup, an invitational tournament for six of the best players in the world, on his debut last year.-VNS