Players compete in the first round of the Kim Long Motor Cup, international friendly xiangqi tournament, in Đà Nẵng. — Photos courtesy of organisers.

ĐÀ NẴNG — An international friendly xiangqi team tournament, the Kim Long Motor Cup, begun on July 24 in Đà Nẵng City, marking the largest ever tournament of this kind in Việt Nam.

Held at the FUTA Residence - Đà Nẵng Times Square, the competition features Việt Nam Thập Hùng (Ten Heroes of Việt Nam) and Chinese Ten Tigers of Guangdong.

The host side are represented by world reigning champion Lại Lý Huynh, 2022 world team championship winner Nguyễn Thành Bảo and national defending champion Hà Văn Tiến along with other renowned players.

Meanwhile the visitors have brought their strongest masters including Cai Youguang, Zhu Shaojun and Zou Haitao under coach Lu Qin, the five-time world champion. Lu is currently vice president of the Chinese Xiangqi Federation.

Players will compete in round robin format with a total of 100 matches across 10 rounds.

Each master will have 30 minutes per match and receive 15 seconds bonus after each move.

The event will wrap up on July 28. A prize fund of VNĐ1 billion (US$38,000) will be presented to best players and the winning team.

Lại Lý Huynh (left) plays Cai Youguang in the first round on July 24.

"I am honoured to be a Vietnamese representative in this tournament. It is a great chance to let the world know about Việt Nam's xiangqi," said Huynh.

"Guangdong is well known as a strong hub of xiangqi in the world. The Chinese masters coming to Việt Nam are among the best.

"They are not professional masters but everyone should be wary of them. They possess exceptional strategic thinking with a free and versatile style of play. They are truly formidable opponents with highly unpredictable playing styles."

Huynh said he was feeling confident as he has faced Chinese rivals in many international tournaments and also competed in the Chinese domestic league.

"This is a team event and my target is to be at my best. I want to provide solid support for my teammates," said Huynh.

"I shared with the coaching board and teammates what I knew about the opposition and helped to map out suitable tactics for the best results for Việt Nam."

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tào Viết Hải, deputy director of Đà Nẵng Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the event was a milestone in the city's mind sport movement.

It would also enrich culture and sport activities and help popularise Đà Nẵng to the world, promoting the tourism industry.

Đào Viết Ánh, CEO of Kim Long Motor, said his business always paid attention to activities linking social responsibility with support for culture, sports and education.

He sees the tournament as an opportunity for international masters to show their ability and exchange knowledge, shaping an annual prestigious event in the region. — VNS