Vietnam launches World Youth Chess Championship

Vietnam participated in the tournament in Montesilvano city with 9 players, competing in five age groups including Nguyen Quoc Hy (U18), Bang Gia Huy, Pham Tran Gia Phuc, Dinh Nho Kiet (U14), Nguyen Hong Nhung, Nguyen Thien Ngan, Luong Hoang Tu Linh (G18), Nguyen Ngoc Hien (G16), Nguyen Thuy Linh (G14). Only the U16 group did not have a Vietnamese representative participating.

The team's gold hope is placed on the U14 group, when Gia Huy (Elo 2,397) and Gia Phuc (2,386) are the second and third seeds, respectively. In addition, Nho Kiet (2,253) is also the 24th seed, although he is only 13 years old. The number one seed in this group is Russian player Savva Vetokhin (2,403).

In the U18 group, Quoc Hy (2,392) is the 19th seed. In the women's groups, the Vietnamese players are outside the Top 25 according to Elo initially, but can cause a surprise. Because last year, Hong Nhung won the silver medal in the G16 group, even though she was only the 31st seed.

The tournament consists of six groups, each player plays 11 Swiss rounds from November 13 to November 24, to choose the champion. The competition day starts at 9pm, Hanoi time, except for the final day, which starts at 3:30pm to award prizes in the evening.

Vietnam has nine players who have won the world standard chess championship at the youth level, the most recent being Dau Khuong Duy in the U12 group last month in Egypt. That tournament is called children's because it is only for players aged 12 and under. The tournament in Italy is youth, for players aged 13 to 18. Vietnam has two players who have won in this group, Dao Thien Hai U16 in 1993, and Le Quang Liem U14 in 2005.