Lê Quang Liêm, Việt Nam’s top grandmaster, will represent Team Flash (Team Flash VN Chess) at the Esports World Cup 2026. — Photo courtesy of Liêm

Esports

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s top grandmaster Lê Quang Liêm has announced that he will represent Team Flash (Team Flash VN Chess) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, in a move widely seen as a historic crossover between traditional chess and modern competitive gaming.

The decision marks a significant milestone in the growing convergence of classical mind sports and the rapidly expanding global esports industry, where chess is increasingly being integrated into digital competition formats.

Liêm, long regarded as one of Việt Nam’s greatest chess players and a leading figure in Southeast Asia, is currently ranked 20th in the world by the International Chess Federation. His move to Team Flash also signals a strong return to top-level competitive play.

The 35-year-old recently stepped down as head coach of the Webster University chess team in the US at the end of April, opting to focus on his professional playing career.

Team Flash is among Việt Nam’s leading esports teams, known for its professional structure and ambitions on the international stage. The signing of a world-class super grandmaster such as Liêm highlights the organisation’s strategic expansion into intellectual sports as part of the broader esports ecosystem.

Liêm’s presence is expected not only to help Team Flash reach a wider audience of chess enthusiasts but also to inspire a younger, more dynamic generation to engage with the game.

The EWC 2026 campaign will be the first major test of Team Flash’s competitiveness on a global stage. The tournament offers a prize pool of up to US$1.5 million for the chess discipline alone.

For Liêm, the event represents an opportunity to continue representing Việt Nam under a new banner and in a completely different competitive environment.

Unlike traditional chess tournaments, which typically require absolute silence, esports arenas allow thousands of spectators to cheer and react freely, creating a more energetic and immersive atmosphere.

Speaking about the rise of chess in the esports era, Liêm previously noted that the game is increasingly asserting its place in the digital age.

“Chess is being recognised as modern esports. While the games remain intellectually intense, players now compete on computers at the same venue instead of facing each other over a wooden board,” he said on his Facebook page.

“I experienced this format a few years ago in the Champions Chess Tour, and it felt like a very modern, dynamic and exciting competition model.” — VNS