The reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper had an interview with Lai Ly Huynh at his private home, after he received encouragement and awards from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports.
Football for life
What does the World Individual Grand Chess Gold Medal mean to Lai Li Huang?
- The world championship is the highest achievement I have ever achieved, it is an honor for a professional chess player. That is the result of each day's efforts, I always sow in my subconscious dreams, enthusiasm, desire, and hope so that when the opportunity arises, we can create strength to conquer the top.
In the final match against Doan Thang, which time did Ly Huynh find the most difficult?
- Evaluate this match based on many factors. In terms of expertise, the Chinese chessboard has had a long history of development, possibly thousands of years. They have talented young players, have general chess academies, receive early general chess lessons, and practice analytical thinking from a young age.
At the age of 12, they have good players, at 15, they have a national champion or at 18, they have reached the peak. Although Doan Thang does not have much experience like other players, he cannot be considered weak.
With that mindset, I put my mind on playing a game of life, putting aside all the burdens, to be able to best promote my strengths.
In two consecutive world tournaments (2023, 2025), Huynh both reached the final. Losing in the 2023 tournament and only winning a Silver Medal helps you learn lessons for yourself to improve your skills this year?
- The defeat against Manh Than in the 2023 tournament was a great regret for me. From that defeat, I planted in my subconscious that, Im almost at the finish line, I need to try harder. The burning desire and desire to compete in me is always available and those are the changes that help me achieve success in this year's tournament.
This year, if the Chinese special teams are not absent due to the ban, how difficult will Huynh find the competition?
- For the veteran players of China, I have mostly faced each other at the Lien Tai Cup. They are unlikely to completely gain an advantage over me. They won thanks to their ability to quickly handle the situation in the final stage, this is a point that the Vietnamese chess team is not equal to them.
Doan Thang did not have those things like his other opponents, but in return, he had impressive debuts, the strong desire of youth.
A life change from chess
After many years, fans and the media have paid more attention to chess. Do you think that the World Gold Medal you have just won will be a premise to help people cheer for chess more?
- I hope to do something for chess in particular and Vietnamese sports in general, as well as to inspire and inspire young people who are passionate about chess to say, "let's try to go, go, dream, go and you can do it".
After returning home with the world championship, Ly Huynh said that he had put aside all the burdens and pressures of his life, determined to play chess in life. So how does chess affect you in real life?
- playing chess is not just a sport or a simple career but my life. I always keep motivation for myself, to aim for other goals. That is what I pay attention to professionally. But coming out of the game, I also have to equip myself with knowledge about life, about human relations between people, how to make everything harmonious and balanced.
In addition to chess, I often read books, especially books about strategies and tactics in life or the Binh Phap Ton Tu, good stories from the past. Those things remind me to think about tactical analysis, supplement my expertise, and understand my opponents.
Lai Li Huynh had a difficult childhood, due to family circumstances, he had to follow his parents to Ca Mau to make a living. Who brought you to chess?
- I followed my father to play chess. He is very passionate about chess, he can quit his job if he finds a worthy opponent, and can play all night. At that time, life did not have the presence of digital technology, so folk games were very present, playing many games that are not available now. Those are all very good and meaningful games. I am lucky to have a chess-loving father and always follow his matches.
My peers also have chess-loving classmates, so from there I formed a passion for myself. After realizing that I had talent, my father learned about and learned about Mr. Nguyen Thanh Khiet, and asked him to check his qualifications. Coincidentally, there was a National Youth Championship coming up at that time. After the test, he noticed that I had a mindset and created conditions for me to attend, and then won a medal. From then on, the milestone I have followed until now.
In addition to competing, many athletes have to find different jobs, is Huynh's life in "chess" like that?
- Professional sports require resources, environment, and conditions. A subject with hardships and difficulties. Speaking of chess, the conditions are not too many. In chess, it is important to sow desire, dreaming of hope every day, because that is an intellectual sport.
As an athlete, I also have other worries about life and the economy. But luckily on my journey, I always have friends accompanying me, leaders supporting and helping me to be a solid rear in my career journey.
He was a player exposed to technology at an early age, how helped that in training and competition?
- Not only in chess, technology has changed sports quite a lot, such as applying AI (artificial intelligence) to activities. I passed through China and saw that they had AI to help them hit the table and swim. With chess, AI has been penetrating for a long time, for more than ten years, helping us a lot, because it calculates very quickly and accurately. Based on that, I will refer to to supplement my expertise.
Mr. Doan Huu Binh - Deputy Director of the Sports Information and Communications Center (Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Administration) said: "I think the opportunities for fighting and competing in professional team tournaments in China, as well as many collisions with their champions, have fostered Lai Li Huynh's competitive spirit. In addition, this success also comes from the hard work from a young age, the will to advance and the professionalism in training and competition".
Mr. Cao Van Chong - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City: "After Ho Chi Minh City implemented the arrangement and administrative merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, the city has gathered a lot of potential, in which sports are an area that needs to be taken advantage of and strongly promoted. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Council's approval of a Resolution on special policies for coaches and athletes effective from October 10, 2025 is a timely and necessary step. This Resolution helps standardize the spending level between regions after the merger, ensuring fairness, solidarity, and psychological stability for coaches and athletes; at the same time, creating motivation for them to continue to contribute and strive. This is also a synchronous and unified legal foundation, creating favorable conditions for State management, training, coaching and preparing forces to participate in domestic and foreign sports competitions in the coming time.
In particular, the outstanding achievement of athlete Lai Ly Huynh when winning the 2025 World Championship in the standard men's individual chess event is a great source of pride. This is not only an honor for Ho Chi Minh City sports but also for Vietnamese sports. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the Department of Culture and Sports have promptly encouraged, rewarded, and shown the city's concern and support. We believe and expect Lai Li Huynh to continue to promote and practice to achieve many more high achievements at upcoming major domestic and international tournaments, contributing to affirming the position of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnamese sports in the international arena.
