Reigning world champion Lai Ly Huynh suffered an early exit from the national Chinese chess tournament on the afternoon of 7/4, after a defeat to Phi Manh Cuong in the quarterfinals. Ly Huynh, who had topped the group stage, faced the 8th-ranked Manh Cuong in a match. After their standard chess game ended in a draw, the two competitors proceeded to rapid and blitz tie-breakers.

During the rapid game, Ly Huynh found himself in a weak position but managed to secure a draw. The moment came in the blitz game, where Ly Huynh, playing with the black pieces and holding a material advantage, succumbed to a sacrifice. As time dwindled for both players, Manh Cuong executed a rook sacrifice, leading to a checkmate in the next move.

Lai Ly Huynh (left) plays against Phi Manh Cuong in the national Chinese chess quarterfinals in Lao Cai on 7/4. *Photo: TLKD*

Following his loss, Ly Huynh leaned back in his chair, holding his head in his hands, dazed before standing up and leaving the playing area. In contrast, Manh Cuong, standing near the board, expressed his emotion. "I am too emotional", he said shakily. "This is the first time I have felt this way".

Phi Manh Cuong, a 31-year-old National Master, had never previously won a national championship. This victory marks his first time advancing to the semifinals of the national standard chess event, and it is also his first win against Ly Huynh in a tournament.

Ly Huynh, 36, is a figure in Vietnamese Chinese chess, having secured the national championship 6 times in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2025. He gained recognition by winning the 2022 world rapid championship and, notably, the 2025 world standard championship, a feat that ended China's 35-year dominance in the sport. Despite his success, including a runner-up finish last month at the Wuyang super Chinese chess tournament in China against top players, his loss to Manh Cuong is an upset for the player born in 1990. This defeat also means he cannot yet match Tring A Sang's record of 7 national championships.

The 2026 National Chinese Chess Championship takes place from 3/4 to 12/4 at the Yen Bai Provincial Labor Federation Sports Arena. In the championship category, players compete in 7 rounds of standard chess using the Swiss system. The 8 players with the highest scores advance to a knockout stage to crown a champion. In the event of a draw in standard chess, tie-breakers decide the winner using rapid chess, followed by blitz chess if needed. The tournament also includes rapid, blitz, and super blitz events, alongside a traditional category for players without high achievements in the championship system.

Other quarterfinal matches included Ha Van Tien against Vu Quoc Dat, Tran Huu Binh against Dao Van Trong, and Dao Cao Khoa against Nguyen Thanh Bao.

Xuan Binh