Vietnamese Talents
Grand master Le Quang Liem
  • | Nhan Dan | February 01, 2011 04:33 PM

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Talking about Vietnamese chess, we can not skip 19-year old grand master Le Quang Liem. There is a formula for the success of a chess player: the right investment and a breakthrough in competition. Currently, Liem possesses both of these factors.

Quang Liem loved to play chess at a very young age and proved cut out for it. He has collected a lot of titles both at domestic and international tournaments. Liem became U-14 world champion at the World Youth Chess Championship in 2005 and won the gold medal in the U-16 age group at the Asian Championship one year later. He also secured several gold medals at the Southeast Asian tournaments as well as other remarkable achievements when he was very young. After defeating five international grand masters and drawing matches with three others at the World Chess Olympiad in Italy in 2006, the Vietnamese chess player was exceptionally promoted to the rank of international grand master.

At a chess tournament held in China in 2009, Liem who was seeded No.1 advanced to the championship title after nine consecutive winning games. At the end of the same year, he helped the national men\'s team win the silver medal at the Asian Team Chess Championship in India.

Liem started 2010 with a success at the 9th Aeroflot Open Chess Tournament in Moscow. He was also the first Asian chess player to secure this title and therefore took up a chance to compete at the Dortmund Chess Tournament. That was the biggest chess event Liem had ever attended. Despite facing world leading opponents, the top Vietnamese player had two impressive wins to finish second. Together with his national teammates, Liem won another silver medal in the rapid chess event at the 16th Asian Games.

With these achievements, Liem was placed in the world top 100 for the first time in January 1, 2010. He is also considered the best chess master in Vietnam and is currently lying in the top 10 of the world\'s best youth players.

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