GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son bags his first win at the Asian Continental Open Chess Championships in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — Grandmaster Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son has joined the leading group of players after the first round of the ongoing Asian Continental Open Chess Championships in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates.

The Vietnamese master yesterday defeated Abdyjapar Asyl of Kazakhstan.

He will next meet teammate Nguyen Duc Hoa, who also has one point after defeating Al-Takrori Husam of Palestine.

Another Vietnamese grandmaster Dao Thien Hai yesterday beat Khayat Abdullah F from Saudi Arabia. Hai will play Iranian Ghaem Maghami Ehsan in the next match.

Vietnamese women players Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, Hoang Thi Bao Tram and Nguyen Thi Thanh An also won their games.

Their teammates Hoang Thi Nhu Y and Pham Le Thao Nguyen drew the first match.

Nearly 100 masters from 15 countries and territories are participating in the Asian tournament. Bu Xiangzhi of China and Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Russia are the favourites for the men's crown, while Chinese Tan Zhongyi and Mongolian Batkhuyag Munguntuu are the favourites for the women's title. The event will end on April 25. — VNS