Vietnamese grandmaster Le Quang Liem named US women's coach for Chess Olympiad

Le Quang Liem, Vietnam's highest-rated player, will lead a U.S. women's squad comprising Carissa Yip, Alice Lee, Irina Krush, Rose Atwell, and Tatev Abrahamyan.

The announcement came after Liem said he would not represent Vietnam at this year's Olympiad despite being willing to adjust his schedule in the United States to compete.

In a post on his social media page before the U.S. announcement, Liem said his decision was not due to personal scheduling conflicts.

He said he was prepared to play for Vietnam if the Vietnam Chess Federation could assemble what he considered its strongest line-up, including Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son and Le Tuan Minh.

The federation was unable to meet that condition and opted for a different team selection.

Liem said he respected the federation's plan to give younger players an opportunity to gain international experience despite his absence.

The Vietnam Chess Federation has yet to announce its final roster after debate over the absence of several leading players and criticism of its selection process.

The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, organized by the International Chess Federation, will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to September 28, with about 200 countries and territories expected to participate.