In the first game of Round 4 on November 11, Liem (Elo 2729), holding white pieces, held Venkataraman Karthik (Elo 2579) to a draw. In the return encounter on November 12, despite playing black, the Vietnamese grandmaster delivered a brilliant performance to secure a decisive victory.

Opting for the Nimzo-Indian Defence, Liem played solidly from the start, patiently waiting for his chance to counterattack. Both players showed great precision early on, but in the middlegame, the Vietnamese representative’s composure and accuracy began to shine through.

The turning point came on move 25, when Karthik made an inaccuracy (Rd1). Liem immediately capitalised with a series of deeply calculated moves, gradually seizing control and creating a dangerous passed pawn on the a-file.

Under mounting pressure, the Indian champion faltered again and was punished by Liem’s bold bishop skewer on f4 (Bf4), gaining a decisive material advantage.

After nearly five hours of intense play and 68 moves, Liem remained flawless in the endgame, converting his advantage with precision to clinch victory. With an aggregate score of 1.5–0.5, he advanced to Round 5, joining the top 16 players of the tournament.

This historic win not only marks Liem’s best-ever result at a Chess World Cup after previously reaching the fourth round in 2013 and 2019, but also represents a breakthrough moment for Vietnamese chess on the global stage.

By progressing to Round 5, Liem has already guaranteed himself at least US$25,000 in prize money.

In the next round, the Vietnamese GM will face GM Alexander Donchenko of Germany (Elo 2641), promising another fierce and fascinating encounter.

Le Quang Liem draws first match at FIDE Chess World Cup’s Round 4

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Grandmaster Le Quang Liem recorded a draw in his first standard chess match at Round 4 of the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, held in India on November 11.