Vietnamese surprisingly surpassed China to win two gold medals at the 15th Asian Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Individual Championship.

Nguyen Hoang Lam (right) won gold for Vietnam

The event held in Macau, China, attracted 20 male players and 10 females from 16 countries and territories, including China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, India and Australia. The Chinese were considered favourites for the championship.

The Vietnamese team comprising male players Nguyen Hoang Lam and Bui Duong Tran and female Ngo Lan Huong exceeded expectations.

Lam and Tran’s biggest rivals were Chinese Wang YueFei and Lü Qin. Wang YueFei won Asian and World Xiangqi Championships in the past and Lü Qin is seen as one of China’s rising young stars.

However, both Chinese failed to reach the semi-final, providing a perfect opportunity for the Vietnamese to take gold.

Lam and Tran overcame Taiwan’s Ma Chung-Wei and the Philippine’s Cheng Ming Chuo in the semi-finals.

Lam won the gold medal for men’s individual event, followed by Tran.

In the women’s individual, Vietnam’s Ngo Lan Huong defeated China’s Chen LiChun, winning gold medal.

This is the first time that Chinese chess-players have failed to make the semi-final round since the Asian Chinese Chess Championships were launched in 1980.