The HD Bank International Open Chess tournament 2012 was recently held in Ho Chi Minh City. It is the biggest international chess tournament annually held by Vietnam as part of the competition system of the Word Chess Federation (FIDE).
This year’s tournament saw not only new breakthroughs at the professional level and the number of participants, but also great improvements in organization that meet international standards.
The HD Bank International Open Chess tournament 2012 attracts the participation of chess players from 14 countries.
Singaporean chess delegation.
The tournament attracted the participation of many famous chess masters and grandmasters from 14 countries, including Le Quang Liem Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Dao Thien Hai and Cao Sang (Vietnam), Ni Hua (China), Sukandar Irine Kharisma (Indonesia), Gopal Geetha Narayana (India), Shanava Konstantine (Georgia) and Barbosa Oloiver (the Philippines).
Le Quang Liem at a chess competition.
Competitions at the HD Bank International Open Chess Tournament 2012.
Chess players excitedly discuss some moves during the break.
High concentration of a foreign player.
Vietnamese chess players take part in the tournament.
After nine rounds with six wins and three draws, Ni Hua became the tournament’s champion, followed by grandmaster Le Quang Liem with 0.5 fewer points. Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son was tied at third with Wan Yunguo (China) with 6.5 points. Le Quang Liem had an additional 4 Elo, increasing his Elo to 2702 that helped him be listed again as a super grandmaster.
Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son wins third place and Le Quang Liem wins second place. Ni Hua (China) wins the championship and Pham Thi Thao Nguyen wins the championship in the women’s category (from left to right).
Super Grandmaster Le Quang Liem gives an interview to reporters after the tournament.
In the women’s category, Pham Thi Thao Nguyen won the championship with six points although she drew against Gao Rui (China) in the last competition. The second and third prizes belonged to Thanh An and Thien Kim.
According to Mai Ba Hung, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department and Head of the Tournament’s Organization Board, the HD Bank International Open Chess tournament 2012 provided a good chance to train new chess talents, develop the chess movement in the country and affirm the position of Vietnam’s chess playing in the international arena.
According to Mai Ba Hung, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department and Head of the Tournament’s Organization Board, the HD Bank International Open Chess tournament 2012 provided a good chance to train new chess talents, develop the chess movement in the country and affirm the position of Vietnam’s chess playing in the international arena.
Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat - Photo: Le Minh
