Vietnam’s xiangqi master Lai Ly Huynh reaches Wuyang Cup semi-finals after defeating 3 Chinese players

Huynh beat Liu, ranked seventh in China, in the sixth round to claim the only semi-final berth from the group.

Entering the final round, Huynh was level on nine points with China’s Liu Baihong, with both players recording two wins and three draws from five matches.

The pair had drawn both of their head-to-head games, with Liu Baihong leading the standings on tiebreak criteria.

Facing pressure to win, Huynh prevailed over Liu Zijian in an endgame position.

In the other decisive Group B match, Liu Baihong failed to defeat Guo Fengda, allowing Huynh to finish top of the group outright.

Huynh will face Zhao Fanwei, ranked 19th in China, in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The other semi-final will feature Yin Sheng against Cheng Yudong.

The Wuyang Cup is one of China’s leading xiangqi tournaments, with total prize money exceeding 1.1 million yuan (US$160,400), the highest in the event’s history.

The champion will receive 300,000 yuan ($43,750), while players reaching the final stage are guaranteed at least 12,500 yuan ($1,822).

Qualifying rounds were held from January 29-31, with the final stage taking place from February 25 to March 1 in Guangzhou.

The 16-player field includes Huynh as the sole Vietnamese representative.

Other participants are Yin Sheng, Meng Fanrui, Wang Yubo, Chen Hongsheng, Wu Wei, Zhao Fanwei, Wang Hao, Liu Zijian, Cheng Yudong, Liu Baihong, Su Shaofeng, Guo Fengda, Feng Jiajun, and female players Tang Dan and Tang Sinan.

Matches from the tournament have been streamed on YouTube and Vietnamese social media channels dedicated to xiangqi.