Hong Nhung won the World Youth Chess Cup

In the all-Vietnam final, Hong Nhung won both games against Thanh Van. In the first game, the two players entered the castle in opposite directions, and tried to attack the castle. Hong Nhung took the black army, broke Thanh Van’s citadel faster and created an advantage leading to victory.

In the second game, Hong Nhung held a white piece and used a strange move when she pushed g4 well, in order to break the Dutch Defense that Thanh Van chose. This move is rare in the top games, because of the risk for White. But at the youth level, if you are not familiar with this variable, the player holding the Black piece is easily at a disadvantage. In this game, Hong Nhung won after only 33 moves, when she threatened to show all of them after one move.

Hong Nhung won the Cup from the World Chess Federation (FIDE), and won a place in the Super Final – the tournament gathering the six strongest players of all ages in December 2021. Thanh Van finished second but still received a certificate of merit and a place in the Super Final.

Hong Nhung is only 15 years old, is a 10th grade math student at Hanoi – Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. In the last 10 entrance exam in Hanoi, the Hanoi female chess player passed three categories of Math, Literature and English at four different specialized schools. And Thanh Van is 16 years old, studying in grade 11 at Luong Van Tuy High School for the Gifted, Ninh Binh.

Vietnam also has a player who won a place in the Super Final, Dau Khuong Duy at the age of 10, thanks to the victory over Matfey Yurasov in the third place match on August 29. In the match for the third prize at the age of 12, player Dinh Nho Kiet lost to Savva Vetokhin and missed the chance to hit the Super Final.

The Vietnamese players eliminated in the quarterfinals will attend the Young Grand Prix in November 2021, including Le Thai Hoang Anh, Nguyen Linh Dan and Nguyen Quang Minh. Young Grand Prix will choose two seats in each age group to attend the Super Final. The remaining place in the Super Final is for the player with the highest Elo of the age group.

World Youth Chess Cup organized by FIDE online, in fast chess format. The tournament brings together most of the world’s strongest players in 10 age groups, with the exception of China who did not attend.

Xuan Binh