CHESS 

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will send the strongest squad, including Super Grandmaster Lê Quang Liêm to compete at the 33rd SEA Games this December in Thailand.

The Việt Nam Chess Federation revealed that they were busy making plans for what is for them the most important sporting event of the year.

“We are working on plans of training and competitions for 2025," said Nguyễn Minh Thắng, general secretary of the Việt Nam Chess Federation.

"SEA Games is a key event this year and we will send the best masters to Thailand. Liêm will be one of our competitors while the others include grandmasters Lê Tuấn Minh and Nguyễn Ngọc Trường Sơn, all are high-quality players.” 

Liêm, who is in the world's top 15, will be one of competitors and is expected to win gold for Việt Nam.

Living and working in the US, Liêm sometimes returns home for local competitions and joined the national team for international tournaments. In 2024, he played two top tier events, the Olympiad in Hungary and the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in New York.

“We appreciate Liêm's ability after witnessing his regular participation and high results in elite competition year-round. He is fully capable of achieving the best results in the Thai event," said Thắng.

Chess is back onto the SEA Games' list after its absence in the 32nd edition in Cambodia in 2023. 

Liêm and his teammates will defend the men's title, meanwhile the women are targetting gold after they missed it in the 31st Games played in Việt Nam.

In the Hà Nội games in 2022, Việt Nam took top position in chess with seven golds, two silvers and three bronzes.

"Currently we have not established the national team. Masters will compete in several national tournaments and their results from these events will decide who will earn national team places for international competitions including the upcoming SEA Games," said Thắng.

In addition to chess, Thailand also added makruk to the schedule, a Thai strategy board game which is similar to chess and ouk chaktrang, played in Cambodia last time around.

Thắng said Vietnamese players would also prepare for makruk events of men's rapid and blitz teams, men's standard doubles and a mixed standard team.

“Basically, makruk is no different from ouk chaktrang. My players who achieved high results in ouk chaktrang in Cambodia, will be picked to take part in makruk," Thắng said. — VNS