Vietnam’s national chess team arrived in the Batumi of Georgia to compete in the 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad, which began on September 23.

Vietnam chess brings strongest formation to the 43rd Batumi Chess Olympiad (Photo: 24h.com.vn)

This year, the national team includes Le Quang Liem, Tran Tuan Minh, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Dao Thien Hai and Nguyen Anh Khoi in the men’s doubles. Grandmaster Hai was chosen as the captain of the team.

Meanwhile, Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Vo Thi Kim Phung, Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, Hoang Thi Bao Tram and Bach Ngoc Thuy Duong will compete in the women’s doubles.

Most of players were selected from HDBank Cup International Open Chess tournament. Among them, Liem and Son have been champions for years.

The tournament is a once-every-two-year event, held by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs in Batumi, Georgia, from September 23 to October 6.

This year’s tournament attracts 189 nations and territories and is the 13th time Vietnam has participated.

The national team will compete in nine matches, in the men’s and women’s doubles, with four players of Vietnam playing against four players of other countries.

All of the team’s competition expenditure is sponsored by HDBank Vietnam.

The annual HDBank Cup International Open Chess tournament, which has been organised by HDBank and Vietnam Chess Federation since 2011, is a playground for international grandmasters and a cradle for many Vietnamese chess talents.-VNA