Grandmaster Le Quang Liem at the blitz world championships in 2013.

HANOI (VNS)  — Vietnamese Grandmaster Le Quang Liem has been voted the best blitz chess competitor of 2013 by the Asian Chess Federation (AFC).

Liem was the first Vietnamese player to claim a world championship title last June, bagging the Asian tournament gold medal in the same year.

His award is one among many of the Annual Asian Chess Excellence Awards that the AFC will present for the first time on June 25 in a ceremony at the Danat Al Ain Hotel in the United Arab Emirates.

Among other winners are Player of the Year Viswanathan Anand of India, as the highest rated in Asia in recognition of his long reign as World Champion between 2007-13. Hou Yifan of China, who has been named Woman Player of the Year for regaining her title as the female world champion, will join China's Yu Yangyi who was named Best Junior Player of the Year for winning the World Junior Championships and Asian Indoor Games chess event.

Asia's first Grandmaster, GM Eugene Torre of the Philippines, will be given a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and commitment to chess and his stellar record.— VNS