Young Vietnamese players sweep 2026 ASEAN chess championships

After establishing their superiority in standard and rapid chess, Vietnam’s young players maintained their impressive form in the blitz competition on Sunday.

The Vietnamese team claimed 35 medals in the blitz event, comprising 11 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze medals.

Vietnam finished first in the overall standings by a wide margin, well ahead of runners-up the Philippines, who collected three gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

In the boys’ events, Vietnam’s gold medallists were Dang Quang Vu, Nguyen Tran Gia Vuong, Nguyen Tung Quan, Dinh Nho Kiet and Le Tuan Minh.

Vietnamese players also underlined their strength in the girls’ events, with gold medals won by Luu Minh Trang, Pham Nhu Y, Nguyen Hong Ha My, Dang Le Xuan Hien, Nguyen Ha Khanh Linh and Nguyen Hong Nhung.

Earlier in the championships, Vietnam won a total of 30 medals in standard chess, including 10 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze.

In rapid chess, the Vietnamese contingent continued its outstanding performance, securing 34 medals, including 12 gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze.

With an overwhelming medal haul and a commanding lead across all three disciplines, Vietnam has firmly reaffirmed its position as the leading chess nation in the region.

Vietnam sent a powerful 177-player delegation to the 2026 ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships, scheduled for August 7-17 in Singapore, local media reported.

The tournament features standard, rapid, and blitz disciplines for both boys and girls.

Standard chess follows a nine-round Swiss system with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move, while time limits are set at 25 minutes for rapid and five minutes for blitz.