Lai Ly Huynh led the qualifying round of the men's standard event at the 2026 National Chess Tournament currently competing in Lao Cai.
However, the No. 1 male chess player of Vietnamese chess lost the match when competing in the quarterfinals on April 7. In the quarterfinals, Lai Ly Huynh met Phi Manh Cuong.
The two players cautiously competed in the standard chess game of the quarterfinals. However, both decided to stop at a draw. The quarterfinals had to play a quick chess game to determine the winner and loser. In the quick chess game, Ly Huynh and Manh Cuong still maintained a draw.
The quarter-final match continued with the blitz chess game to find the final result. In the blitz chess game, Ly Huynh lost unfortunately, thereby being eliminated from the standard chess content of the National Chess Championship 2026.
According to the tournament regulations, chess players competing in the standard chess event will have to play 7 games according to the Swiss system in the qualifying round in the men's and women's groups.
After the qualifying round, 8 male chess players and 8 female chess players with the best results will be slotted to the quarterfinals. From the quarterfinals, the standard chess content will compete in a knockout format.
From the quarter-finals, each pair plays 1 standard chess game. The final and third-place match each pair plays 2 standard games to determine the winner. The colors are randomly drawn. If the pairs have not determined the winner and loser in the standard chess, the colors are drawn to play 1 quick chess game.
If the match is a draw, then alternately change the chess color to compete for 3 minutes + 2 seconds until there is a winning match. The standard match time for each chess player is 60 minutes + 30 seconds for each move," regulations for the standard chess event at the National Chess Championship 2026.
The 8 male chess players who reached the quarterfinals are Lai Ly Huynh, Ha Van Tien, Tran Huu Binh, Dao Cao Khoa, Nguyen Thanh Bao, Dao Van Trong, Vu Quoc Dat and Phi Manh Cuong.
The 8 chess players who reached the quarterfinals are Dam Thi Thuy Dung, Lai Quynh Tien, Ho Thi Thanh Hong, Cao Phuong Thanh, Tran Tue Doanh, Nguyen Hoang Yen, Kieu Bich Thuy and Le Thi Kim Loan. The National Chess Tournament 2026 will take place until April 12.
After the standard chess event, chess players will compete in rapid chess and blitz chess.
