Le Quang Liem holds seasoned opponent in Chess World Cup opener
VOV.VN - Vietnamese Grandmaster Le Quang Liem Le Quang Liem on November 4 began his campaign at the 2025 FIDE World Cup in India with a draw against seasoned Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava.
As the No. 13 seed, Le (Elo 2,729) received a bye in the first round and entered directly in Round 2, where he faced 42-year-old Jobava (Elo 2,573).
Despite the rating gap, Jobava remained a challenging opponent, having defeated Le twice in previous encounters - first at the ACP Golden Classic in the Netherlands in 2012 and most recently at the Grenke Freestyle Chess Open in Germany in April 2025.
Playing Black in the opening classical game, Le adopted a solid setup, while Jobava, with the initiative as White, tried to press for attacking chances. However, Le maintained control throughout, leading Jobava to agree to a draw after 31 moves despite holding a time advantage.
On November 5, Le Quang Liem and Baadur Jobava contest the return classical game. With the advantage of the White pieces, Le is still likely to proceed cautiously, as any slip could be costly. A win would take him to Round 3, while another draw would force rapid and blitz tie-breaks on the third day.
The ongoing 2025 Chess World Cup from October 30 to November 27 features 206 players competing in a knockout format, with a total prize pool of US$2 million. The champion will receive US$120,000. If eliminated in Round 2, Le will earn US$7,000, advancing to Round 3 guarantees at least US$11,000.
The bienial tournament brings together top-ranked players, qualifiers from continental championships, and selected invitees.
Vietnamese prodigy wins silver at World Cadet Chess Championship 2025
VOV.VN - Vietnamese chess prodigy Le Phan Hoang Quan has secured a silver medal at the World Cadet Chess Championship 2025, held in Kazakhstan from September 19–30.
