Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son. — Photo VNA

HCM CITY (VNS) — Defending champion Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son easily logged his first win at the HDBank International Open Chess Tournament held yesterday in HCM City.

Son, the third seed in the tournament, defeated teammate Tu Hoang Thai and will play against Nolte Rolando of the Philippines today.

Second seed Le Quang Liem also won, beating teammate Tran Manh Tien and will face Wynn Zaw Htun of Myanmar next.

The two Vietnamese masters shared the leading position after the first round, with top seed Li Chao from China, who defeated Htay Min Lwin of Myanmar yesterday.

The fifth HDBank event, with its prize money of US$35,000, has drawn 85 chess masters from 14 countries, including 44 Vietnamese. It will end on March 23. — VNS