VietNamNet Bridge – Becoming the champion of Southeast Asian U20 chess tournament at the age of 17, Hoang Thi Nhu Y, a schoolgirl from Hue city, was granted the International Master of Chess title.

“Playing chess has helped me overcome difficulties in life. When I was a child, I was very fragile and cried very often. I used to be familiar with love and protection of my parents,” she said.

Nhu Y’s mother passed away when she was 8. Her father, a motorbike taxi driver, only earned enough to feed his two daughters, Nhu Y and her younger sister – Y Nhi.

Nhu Y studied playing chess with her teacher at primary school. She attended the chess tournament for kids of Hue city in the same year and didn’t win any prizes. She did not play chess for a year before practicing chess for five days to participate in Hue city’s chess tournament for kids and won the third prize.

She was convened to Thua Thien – Hue province’s chess team in May 2002. Practicing for only three months, Nhu Y won three silver and one gold medal at the National Young Chess Championship 2002.

Nhu Y was the champion of the National Rapid Chess Championship in HCM City in 2008. She also won six gold medals at the Southeast Asia Chess Tournament, gold medal at the Asian Youth Chess Championship, single gold medal and women’s team gold medal at the Asian Chess Tournament the same year.

Last year she participated in 14 competitions at home and abroad and won five gold and one silver medals at the Southeast Asian Youth Chess Champs, one gold and one bronze medal at the Asian Youth Chess Championship.

Nhu Y is studying at the National Sports Training Center in HCM City.

“My hidden strength is my will to defeat my rivals to win bonuses to help my family,” Nhu Y said.

Her father is very weak and he cannot work now. Nhu Y has become the mainstay of her family.

Nhu Y said she is luckier than her friends of the same age because thanks to chess she has been able to travel to many countries in the world and make new friends.

“Most of my chess friends wish to visit Vietnam. Some of them have come here through my introduction. I will try to learn English to better introduce Vietnam to my friends,” she said.

This year Nhu Y will participate in many local and international chess events. But chess is not everything to this girl. “I wish to become a successful businessperson. I lost my mother when I was very small so I understand the plight of orphans. I wish to be able to help the poor and children who are eager to learn.”

PV