International Master Nguyen Binh Vy wons the gold medal in the U17 girls' rapid chess event at the FIDE World U9-U17 Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship.
Vy delivered an impressive performance, maintaining consistency and displaying remarkable bravery under high competitive pressure throughout each round. With a total of 7.5 points after nine matches (seven wins, one draw, and one loss to Russia’s Satanovskaia Evgeniia), she skilfully overcame several strong opponents from countries with established chess traditions, such as Russia and Uzbekistan, earning the prestigious gold medal and bringing glory to Vietnamese chess.
Nguyen Binh Vy (second right) celebrates winning the U17 girls' rapid chess event at the FIDE World U9-U17 Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship
In the blitz chess category, Binh Vy maintained her excellent form, scoring 7 points from nine games to secure the silver medal and emerge as one of the standout players of the tournament. As a Woman International Master (WIM) and a high school student, this result marks a significant step forward, bringing her closer to grandmaster level.
In the Boys U15 category, chess player Nguyen Nam Kiet caused a surprise by finishing just 0.5 points behind Turkish Grandmaster Erdogmus Yagiz Kaan (Elo 2,497, world top 100). With 7.5 points from nine games, Nam Kiet showed strong composure under pressure to win the Blitz silver medal, demonstrating remarkable competitive spirit.
The 2025 World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships were held from December 15 to 21, featuring more than 310 players from 33 countries, competing in age groups from U9 to U17 in both rapid and blitz formats. Vietnam’s delegation shone among numerous grandmasters, reaffirming the effectiveness of its training system in producing international-level talents.
Nguyen Khang