In an unexpected turn of events at the Dong Lao village chess tournament, Chinese grandmaster Vuong Hao suffered a defeat to Vietnamese amateur Nguyen Duc Toan during the qualifying rounds. The tournament, held in An Khanh commune, Hanoi, from 2/3 to 3/3, attracted 48 players, including two Chinese grandmasters: Luu Tong Trach and Vuong Hao. Vuong Hao, ranked 22nd in Chinese chess according to the latest rankings published on 2/3, was making his debut appearance in Vietnam.

Vuong Hao (left) during a match at the Dong Lao village chess tournament, An Khanh commune, Hanoi, on 2/3/2026. *Nhat Chi Mai*

The qualifying rounds on 2/3 aimed to select 16 players for the round of 16. In his second qualifying match, Vuong, playing with the red pieces, faced Nguyen Duc Toan, a lesser-known Vietnamese player. The Chinese grandmaster initiated an aggressive attack and successfully captured a black knight in the middlegame. With a clear advantage of one knight, a pawn across the river, and robust advisors and elephants protecting his general, Vuong was widely expected to secure a decisive victory.

Despite facing a significant deficit with only one cannon, one knight, one pawn, and two advisors remaining, Duc Toan mounted a counterattack with his three active pieces. At one point, the Vietnamese player moved his knight to file 4 and released it, but before pressing the clock, he retracted the move and placed the knight on file 8. While this would typically be a violation of the touch-move rule in professional play, Vuong, acknowledging the informal nature of a village tournament, graciously overlooked the error and permitted Duc Toan to make an alternative move.

The board position after Duc Toan’s knight 6 retreats to 8 (black pieces), even though he initially moved knight 6 to retreat to 4.

However, Vuong not only relinquished his attacking initiative but also adopted a passive defensive stance. Despite having over 12 minutes still on his clock, the Chinese grandmaster played hastily and made a series of critical errors. The game's trajectory shifted dramatically, moving from a winning position for Vuong to a draw, and ultimately, to a loss.

The board position after Duc Toan’s knight 8 advances to 7. Vuong’s optimal move would have been general 5 to file 6. However, the Chinese player moved cannon 9 to retreat to 2. From a winning position, the game shifted to a draw.

The board position after Duc Toan’s knight 7 advances to 8. Vuong would have to lose his cannon by moving his advisor back. However, the Chinese grandmaster chose to retreat his cannon 4 one step, which was a fatal error.

Duc Toan immediately moved knight 8 to retreat to 6, delivering checkmate with the cannon on file 9.

This significant victory secured Duc Toan a spot in the round of 16, where he joined Luu Tong Trach and several other strong Vietnamese players, including Chu Tuan Hai, Vu Hong Son, and Phi Manh Cuong. Conversely, Vuong was unexpectedly eliminated from the tournament.

Vuong Hao, 36, from Beijing, is a student of Grandmaster Pho Quang Minh. He holds the esteemed title of Chinese Chess Grandmaster, which is equivalent to a chess master in international chess. On the global stage, he is recognized as an International Grandmaster, a title comparable to an International Master in chess. Currently ranked 22nd in China, Vuong is positioned above many notable players such as Hua Van Chuong, Tran Hoang Thinh, and Vuong Gia Thuy.

In a comparative perspective with Chinese grandmasters, Vietnam’s top player, Lai Ly Huynh, currently holds the 14th position. The top player in China is prodigy Manh Phon Due, followed by chess king Manh Than.

Xuan Binh