Chess

Grandmaster Lê Quang Liêm of Việt Nam (right) wins the Biel International Chess Festival on July 26. Photo of Biel Chess Festival

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's Grandmaster Lê Quang Liêm successfully defended his top place at the Biel International Chess Festival 2023 on July 26 in Switzerland.

The former world blitz champion drew David Navara of Czech after 37 moves in the last round while his rival Vincent Keymer of Germany was unexpectedly beaten by Indian Arjun Erigaisi.

Liêm, who now teaches chess for the most part, has not played a competitive game since the 2022 Biel tournament.

Nevertheless, he proved to be the strongest player with 19 points. With a total of 32.5 points from 28 matches of standard, rapid and blitz chess, he won the Grand Master Triathlon category.

Keymer came second with 31.5 points and Navara third with 30.5 points.

Liêm received a bonus of 10,000 CHF (US$11,600) and 11.8 points for his Elo rating that would push him to No 16 in the world, which was the best place in his career, next week.

Thanks to this result will possibly achieve his best-ever Elo rating in the world rankings.

His next tournament will be the World Cup in August in Azerbaijan and the 19th Asian Games in September in China. VNS